News

Wednesday, 1 October 2008

Partners in wildlife - Creating an exciting new nature reserve for North Kent

A huge variety of wetland wildlife that once thrived on Seasalter Levels should soon be making a comeback, including breeding wading birds like lapwings and redshanks, which have all but disappeared from the area. This rejuvenation of the Levels is thanks to a new 100-hectare nature reserve, which will be created by a partnership between the RSPB, Canterbury City Council, Swale Borough Council and Natural England. The partnership will be confirmed at a special event on the edge of Seasalter Levels on 18 September, celebrating the creation of what will hopefully become a stunning new nature reserve for the North Kent Marshes.

The Levels are part of the ancient landscape of the Marshes and were once home to a huge range of birds and other wildlife. More recently, large areas have been neglected or mismanaged and their wildlife importance has declined alarmingly. This announcement will mark a new beginning for the work to bring back the wildlife to Seasalter Levels. The partnership agreement will bring over 100 hectares of the Levels into conservation management. However, the Partners acknowledge that much work will be needed before it becomes the wildlife spectacle that they hope for. The RSPB, who have considerable experience in managing similar sites elsewhere in North Kent, will be managing the new reserve and firmly believe that they can bring back the wildlife.

Chris Corrigan, RSPB regional director for South East England, commented: Today's event marks the start of exciting new plans future for the Seasalter Levels. It's fantastic that the four organisations share the same vision for the reserve - and have the ambition to see it developed. Over time, we hope that wildlife will return to the Levels, and the reserve can be extended out on to other neglected areas, which no longer support the wildlife that should be there. We look forward to working with our partners as well as with the local community to create what should be a fantastic asset for the whole area.

Leader of Canterbury City Council, Cllr John Gilbey, said: The city council has been committed to the protection of Seasalter Levels for more than 30 years. I am really pleased that this new partnership with the RSPB, Swale Borough Council and Natural England will create a nature reserve for local people and visitors to enjoy and look forward to seeing the levels of wildlife we once used to have at Seasalter restored over the coming years.

Leader of Swale Borough Council, Cllr Andrew Bowles, said: Regeneration is not always about building things. Restoring this beautiful area of Swale to welcome wildlife will make it a special place for future generations of the community to enjoy and, by attracting visitors, a resource for the people who work nearby.

Natural England Regional Manager, Alan Law, said: Seasalter Levels forms part of a larger site which is nationally and internationally important for its wildlife. Currently over 110 hectares of this land are in unfavourable condition. Natural England and the Local Authorities have been working for a number of years to address this problem and this partnership agreement, with RSPB taking on management of the land, is another major step forward to restoring this area into favourable condition.

We look forward to continuing to work with our partners, local landowners and the local community to turn this area into a wonderful nature reserve that is an asset to all.