Conservation Grassland in Thanet
We’re developing conservation grasslands and wildflower meadows across the district. This is part of our ongoing response to the Climate and Biodiversity Emergency.
Thanet has around 20 miles of chalk coastline. This is the longest continuous stretch of coastal chalk habitat in the country. On these clifftops, you’ll find rare chalk grassland. It’s one of the UK’s rarest habitats.
Since the 1930s, the UK has lost 97% of its wildflower meadows. So, preserving our remaining chalk grassland areas is particularly significant.
These natural spaces do a lot for us. They support pollinators like bees, butterflies and moths. They boost local biodiversity, which attracts different plants and animals. And they create attractive, nature-rich environments for everyone to enjoy.
Our Open Spaces Team has already established conservation grasslands in a range of locations. These locations include parks, cemeteries, school grounds, and roadside verges:
- Tivoli Park, Margate
- War Memorial banks, Westgate-on-Sea
- Ramsgate Cemetery
- King Ethelbert’s School, Birchington
- Ramsgate Arts Primary School
- St Laurence Churchyard, Ramsgate
- Lymington Road, Westgate-on-Sea
- Foreness Point, Margate
These projects were supported by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust and local partners. We plant these meadows using wildflower seed mixes that are native to the UK. We also look after them carefully so they can grow strong and last for a long time. To read more about the original launch of this work, visit:
Wildflower Meadow Creation in Thanet News Archive
Foreness Point chalk grassland
PermalinkWe’re now working to expand this beyond just large open spaces. We’re creating smaller “pollinator patches”. In these areas, we’ll let wildflowers and long grass grow to help wildlife.
Every summer, we’ll do ecology surveys. This helps us see improvements in biodiversity and decide how to best look after these areas.
These smaller patches can create “wildlife corridors” between bigger green spaces. This helps us reach our goals for biodiversity. They also help connect people with nature in their local area.
We’re always looking for new places to do this work. We’d love to work with schools, housing groups, community organizations, and town councils to find more spots for meadows in the future.
PermalinkConservation grasslands:
- Provide food and shelter for declining pollinator species
- Help mitigate climate change by storing carbon in the soil
- Support local biodiversity through connected green spaces
- Offer educational and wellbeing benefits to local communities
- This work helps Thanet respond to its declaration of a Climate and Biodiversity Emergency. It’s also part of our bigger Pollinators campaign.
If you’re interested in creating a wildflower meadow in your area, or have a suggestion for a potential site, we’d love to hear from you.
Contact the Open Spaces Team via our Get in Touch page.
Together, we’re building a greener, more resilient Thanet, one meadow at a time.
