Our wilder Kent 2030 Impact Report

In 2019, we launched an ambitious strategy – Wilder Kent 2030 – to reverse biodiversity decline and put nature in recovery across the county and beyond. Now, we’re taking stock. Our progress report reveals the tangible, inspiring, and sometimes sobering, outcomes of our work so far.

The report doesn’t just show the numbers. It tells the story of bold projects, collaborative partnerships and extraordinary people. The report shares our biggest wins, toughest lessons, and the urgent work still ahead. It’s also a moment to reflect and recommit to building a Wilder Kent. In this edition of Wilder Kent, we’re showcasing just a fraction of what we have achieved together in five years. The full report will be available online and dives deeper into case studies, from Kentish milkwort to Wilder Kent Awards, and from Bugs Matter to Farmer Clusters.

Where the wild things roam

Britain’s first bison bridges are officially open, and they’re leading the way to a wilder future.

A hoof-thumping milestone has been made in UK conservation, and it’s happening right here in Kent. The nation’s first-ever bison bridges have officially opened, giving Europe’s largest land mammal more room to roam in West Blean and Thornden Woods – marking a bold new step for the pioneering Wilder Blean project.

Led by Kent Wildlife Trust and Wildwood Trust, Wilder Blean is rewriting the rulebook on conservation by letting nature take the reins. And at its heart is an unlikely star: the European bison. These gentle giants are sometimes called ‘ecosystem engineers’; through their natural behaviours – stripping bark, trampling vegetation, creating deadwood habitats and dustbathing – they open up the forest floor for a wider range of flora and fauna to flourish, ultimately helping to restore dynamic, living landscapes bursting with biodiversity. Their presence has even been shown to support carbon sequestration, making them a powerful ally in the fight against climate change.

Introduced to the woodland in July 2022, the bison were initially given access to 50 hectares. With the opening of two newly constructed bridges, their roaming area has now doubled to 100 hectares. Once the final two crossings are complete, the only wild bison herd in the country will have access to a massive 200 hectares of ancient woodland. It’s more space to roam, more forest to revive, and more magic for visitors to witness.

But these crossings aren’t just for the bison. They have been cleverly designed to provide elevated footpaths, giving visitors a spectacular view across the reserve and a unique opportunity to observe the bison in their natural habitat.

The £1 million construction was made possible by a coalition of environmental supporters including The National Lottery Heritage Fund, National Highways’ Environment and Wellbeing Designated Fund (as part of the Network for Nature programme), The Michael Uren Foundation, Veolia Environmental Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation, and private donors.

The bridge openings represent a major leap forward in the development of the Blean ‘Wildscape’, an ambitious plan to connect fragmented habitats and reintroduce native species across the region. Supported by Rewilding Britain’s Challenge Fund, the initiative is uniting landowners, conservationists, and local communities in a shared mission to restore nature and fight the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.

Wilder Blean is already becoming a beacon of hope – and proof that with bold ideas, dedicated people and a touch of bison brilliance, we can build a wilder future. With continued public and private backing, Wilder Blean could become a model for future wilding projects across the UK, one bridge, and one bison, at a time.

Red-billed return

Thanks to your incredible support of our Chough Appeal, we’re thrilled to announce that, with project partners Wildwood Trust, we’ve secured enough funding to continue releasing red-billed choughs in 2025.

Every donation and every show of support has helped us get there. You’re helping to bring this ambitious reintroduction project closer to success, and we are deeply grateful for your commitment to restoring one of Britain’s most iconic birds.

This is now a pivotal moment for the project. With two cohorts of choughs already flying free over Kent, our focus turns to bolstering the population through additional releases. Sightings of these charismatic corvids are on the rise, not just soaring over the White Cliffs of Dover, but more recently exploring along the coast of Ramsgate and Margate. These bold little birds are pushing boundaries, establishing a new territory in Dover and forming what we fondly call a “spin-off chough society” beyond their original release site. Excitingly, our nesting pair is showing promising signs of returning to their nest in Dover. Could we hear the pitter-patter of tiny chough feet this season?

Preparing for take-off

Behind the scenes, our partners at Wildwood Trust are already hard at work preparing the next group of birds for the 2025 release. These young birds will soon join and strengthen the existing group, bringing us closer to a self-sustaining flock. This project proves what can be achieved when science, conservation, and community come together.

For over 40 years, Kent Wildlife Trust has worked alongside landowners and partners to bring these habitats back. Organic conservation grazing has been key, not just for sustaining plant diversity, but also for creating the rich, dung-filled ecosystem that choughs depend on for their food.

And with chalk valleys stretching from Dover at the heart to the surrounding downland, feasibility studies have confirmed that we now have the critical mass of connected habitat needed to give choughs a real chance to thrive in the region.

A new chapter in an ancient tale

The chough’s comeback is more than just conservation. It’s about reconnection – to the land, to our shared history, and to a future where wild places thrive. With your help, we’re turning a symbol of loss into one of revival. We’re looking forward to the moment, not far off, when red-billed choughs are once again a familiar sight along Kent’s cliffs.

6 dragonflies to see in Kent this summer

There are 57 recorded species of dragonflies and damselflies in the UK. Flying at up to 30 miles per hour, these incredible insects can commonly be seen on many of our nature reserves at this time of year.

Typically living no longer than six to eight weeks (much less for damselflies), dragonfly larvae can live underwater for up to five years (depending on the species and the temperature of the water) before emerging as adults.

There are many cultural perceptions surrounding these fascinating creatures. In European cultures, dragonflies and damselflies have been associated with the devil or misfortune, with old European names for dragonflies including ‘devil’s darning needles’ and ‘water witch’. In Eastern cultures, dragonflies are often seen to symbolise summer and happiness, but also fragility.