Key habitats in Kent Thameside range from the foreshore of the Thames estuary and the areas of grazing and saltmarsh, to the heathland and acid calcareous grassland along the rural edge. Close by there are extensive woodlands at Cobham and Darenth as well as brownfield land and urban gardens, some of the richest wildlife areas.
The Green Grid is a network of open spaces linked by a web of green corridors, footpaths and landscape to neighbourhoods within the urban areas. These provide ready access to open space and will help develop strong wildlife corridors.
Rare wildlife can be found within Kent Thameside;
- Water voles thrive in the freshwater marshes of the River Darent.
- The Black redstart, which lives in urban areas, makes use of brownfield sites and buildings.
- Specialists like the Brown-banded carder bee and Shrill carder bee can be found across the Thames Gateway
- A number of internationally important populations of birds associated with wetland and grazing marsh can be found along the estuary, providing a real magnet to birdwatchers.
It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living.
David Attenborough
Web links:
English Nature SSI Information
Kent Biodiversity partnership
Cobham Ashenbank Management Scheme (CAMS)
Kent Wildlife Trust
The Thames Estuary Partnership
Zoological Society of London Thames Marine Mammal Sightings Survey
Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA)
Information about Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS)
Code for Sustainable homes
Kent Sustainable Business Partnership (KBSP)
Downloads:
 Greening the Gateway PDF
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