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Our work here
18 July 2011
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Dungeness was declared a National Nature Reserve in order to protect its unique shingle ridges. Other habitats include wetlands, grasslands and farmland.
The reserve is a haven for breeding and wintering water birds, and an important stopover for migrants. It is also home to many unusual plants and invertebrates.
The RSPB is managing the reserve for the benefit of all its wildlife.
Saving shingle
Dungeness's shingle ridges support an internationally important community of plants and animals. These include the endemic leafhopper Aphrodes duffieldi, and the scarce Nottingham catchfly, which is the food plant of several rare moth species.
We are managing this fragile habitat in order to preserve its unique character and biodiversity.
Flourishing fens
Behind the shingle ridges are a series of natural freshwater pits that have been colonised by fen vegetation. These support several uncommon plants, including the regionally scarce great fen sedge, as well as great crested newts and medicinal leeches.
We are encouraging the fens to recover and spread by cutting back willow scrub and other invasive plants. This enhances the overall biodiversity of the pits.
Reedbed creation
We have recently carried out major landscaping on Denge Marsh to create a 20 ha reedbed which links to the reedbed at Hooker's Pit. This will provide habitat for bitterns, bearded tits and marsh harriers.
Pit stop
The reserve also has over 90 flooded gravel pits. These offer an important refuge for wintering wildfowl, including black-necked grebe, goosander and smew, and support breeding colonies of gulls and cormorants.
We are managing the pits for their biodiversity. In particular, we aim to increase the numbers of seabirds, including Mediterranean gulls and common terns, that breed on the islands.
Grassland and farmland
Dungeness has both wet and dry grassland. We are managing these habitats in order to provide suitable breeding conditions for birds such as lapwings, redshanks and garganeys, as well as two uncommon species of bumblebee, Bombus humilis and Bombus ruderarius.
Visitor attraction
We will continue to promote the reserve to visitors and maintain our network of facilities, which includes hides, nature trails and a visitor centre. However, we will be careful not to exceed 40,000 visitors per year, since any more might inhibit conservation work.
Funding
We are extremely grateful to the following organisations for their support at Dungeness: Ibstock Cory Environmental Trust, through the Landfill Communities Fund, Defra and Natural England.
How you can help
In a move that would destroy the natural tranquillity of Dungeness and could see its remarkable wildlife slowly disappear, the owners of Lydd airport want to increase the number of passengers that fly from there from 4,000 a year to 500,000.
Help stop this plan from getting off the ground
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The return of a bumblebee species extinct in the UK for nearly a quarter of a century has moved a big step forward. More... |
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