Calls grow to protect key ancient woodland

Support for a campaign to expand the Kent Downs National Landscape to include one of the country's most important woodland habitats is gaining momentum.

The Blean Woods, near Canterbury, comprise several areas of ancient woodland and are regarded as a significant refuge for wildlife.

Although they lie close to the boundary of the Kent Downs National Landscape, they are not currently included within the protected area, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Natural England said it was not currently considering an extension to the designation.

It added any review of National Landscape boundaries would be carried out on a national basis.

The organisation also pointed to existing conservation projects in the area, including Kent Wildlife Trust's Blean Wildscape programme, which aims to support nature recovery across the woodland.

Campaigners behind the Forest of Kent initiative want the designation extended to cover the Blean Woods and linked through environmental projects to create a larger connected woodland landscape.

They say the scheme would create England's largest network of protected, interconnected woodland, linking nearly 1,500 hectares (37,065 acres) of ancient woodland from Kings Wood to East Blean.

Conservative MP Helen Whately, representing Faversham and Mid Kent, has written to Natural England, describing Blean as "one of the UK's most important ancient woodland complexes".

"It makes sense to connect the woodlands and create a larger forest landscape for wildlife movement and habitat recovery," she said.

Independent MP for Canterbury Rosie Duffield has also backed the proposals.

Writing in support of the plans, she said they were "not simply about increasing woodland cover" but about "safeguarding an irreplaceable natural landscape".

The Kent Downs National Landscape, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, stretches from the White Cliffs of Dover to the Surrey and London border.

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