113 - North Kent Plain : Analysis: Ecosystem Services

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Soils are mainly highly fertile deep, rich loams within the NCA containing a large proportion of the county’s Grade 1 agricultural land.
• Proximity to continental Europe provides a climate conducive to arable cropping and horticulture.

State – Food provision is an important service in the NCA and the fertile and easily worked soils make this one of the most productive agricultural areas in the south of England producing significant amounts of arable crops (mainly cereals as well as oilseeds and cash roots) and notably fruit and other horticultural crops.

Main beneficiary – Regional, National

Analysis – An increase in arable/horticultural (intensification/cultivation) production should lead to an increase in production but could potentially lead to a decrease in value of other ecosystem services such as soil and water regulation if this is not achieved sustainably with a reduction in these other services threatening future yields.

Changes in agriculture as a result of climate change, such as increased production or growing of different crop types could have consequences for the natural environment, with increasing pressure on soils, water and habitats and possible impacts on the appearance of the landscape (Assessing the Potential Consequences of Climate Change for England’s Landscapes: North Kent, Natural England).

Opportunities – There is an opportunity to manage the agricultural landscape in sustainable ways to improve soil and water regulation and improve long term viability of agriculture and yields, protecting the natural assets of the area.

There is also an opportunity to conserve remaining traditional orchards characteristic of North Kent fruit belt and Hoo peninsula, supporting local traditional fruit production and also benefitting genetic diversity.

There is also an opportunity to safeguard soils and high quality agricultural land when planning development.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Food provision
• Regulating soil erosion
• Regulating water quality
• Biodiversity
• Genetic diversity

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Existing woodland – coniferous and broadleaved.

State – There is potential for timber provision from the existing woodland resource.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – Management of existing woodlands for timber products could have multiple benefits, including biodiversity and benefits for the local economy.

Given the high proportion of good quality agricultural land a significant increase in this service through woodland planting is unlikely and would impact on the open, expansive views which characterise the NCA. However, small scale woodland planting for timber products may be beneficial where appropriately sited and provide social, economic and environmental benefits.

Opportunities – There are opportunities to manage existing woodlands for timber products. This may require the stimulation of local markets, providing an incentive to woodland managers.

Currently conifer plantations occur on existing planted ancient woodland sites (PAWS). There is therefore an opportunity for reversion of conifer plantations back to broadleaved woodland.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Biodiversity
• Climate regulation

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Rivers including Great Stour, Little Stour and Darent
• Principal and secondary chalk aquifers

State – Chalk aquifers underlie the NCA with significant groundwater abstraction.

In Kent, 73% of the public water supply is taken from groundwater, notably from chalk aquifers (The State of Water in Kent, Environment Agency. June, 2012).

The NCA has poor quantitative status throughout . According to the river basin management plan all of the groundwater bodies in this NCA are expected to have poor quantitative status in 2015 (The State of Water in Kent, Environment Agency. June, 2012).

The Catchment Abstraction Management Strategies indicate that much of the NCA is either over abstracted or over-licensed (The State of Water in Kent, Environment Agency. June, 2012).

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Water resources in this NCA are already under pressure and population increase, development pressures and climate change will bring new challenges both to society and the environment (The State of Water in Kent, Environment Agency. June, 2012).

Management of water abstraction will help to reduce the effects of low flows on wetland biodiversity and improve water quality.

Land management practices and restoration of wetland habitats are likely to improve infiltration and aid aquifer recharge.

The nature of agriculture in this NCA (fruits, arable crops) means that there is a demand for irrigation. Climate change may increase the challenges of meeting water demands and irrigation requirements in summer months (The Stour Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy, Environment Agency, 2003).

Opportunities – There is an opportunity for integrated water management throughout the NCA to slow runoff and increase infiltration to aquifers. (For example increasing soil organic matter, reducing soil compaction and re-creation of semi-natural habitats).

Opportunities for significant restoration and creation of wetland habitats adjacent to watercourses within the Stour will aid aquifer recharge. Naturally functioning floodplains will help regulate water availability and respond more effectively to extreme weather events which may occur as a result of climate change.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Water availability
• Regulating water quality
• Biodiversity
• Climate regulation

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• National Fruit Collection at Brogdale

State – The collection includes a variety of apple, pear, plum, cherry, bush fruit, vine and cob nut cultivators (Brogdale: Home of the National Fruit Collection).

Main beneficiary – International

Analysis – Brogdale forms part of an international programme which seeks to protect the genetic resources of our plants. This helps to ensure that we are able to adapt to changing conditions and respond to the challenges associated with climate change, pests or disease. Protecting our genetic resources is also critical for food security (Brogdale: Home of the National Fruit Collection).

Opportunities – Opportunities to conserve the genetic diversity held within the national fruit collection and long term security of the collection.

Opportunities for enhanced research, teaching, public access and awareness.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Sense of place/inspiration
• Genetic diversity
• Sense of history

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Existing woodland

State – The woodlands of the NCA offer some biomass potential.

The potential yield from miscanthus could be high, although it is medium around Dartford and Rochester towards Greater London.

There is medium potential for short rotation coppice yields, with patches of low potential towards London and around the coast where crops would be exposed to salt laden winds (Energy crop guidance and yield maps). For information on the potential landscape impacts of biomass plantings within the NCA, refer to the tables on the Natural England website.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – Bringing unmanaged woodlands under traditional coppice management will improve outputs from the existing woodland resource. This could have multiple benefits, including biodiversity gains, climate regulation, amenity improvements and benefits to the local economy.

There is some scope to accommodate new biomass crops but this would need to be balanced as any major expansion of for example short rotation coppice could affect sense of place if it became a major component of the open and expansive landscape. However, if sited appropriately it could deliver several ecosystem services such as flood flow management, water quality improvements by trapping sediment and nutrients, use for grey water treatment from sewage works and preventing run-off from road infrastructure.

Opportunities – There is an opportunity to bring unmanaged woodlands under management to provide local sources of biomass. Creating a supply and demand chain will help secure sustainable management and opportunities should be sought to link woodland managers with those who have a demand (existing or potential) for wood fuel products.

There are potential opportunities for both short rotation coppice and Miscanthus to be accommodated but these would need to be located appropriately within the landscape.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Biomass energy
• Biodiversity
• Climate regulation

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Woodlands
• Intertidal habitats including mudflats
• Wetland habitats

State – Climate regulation through soils is not significant as most are mineral soils that can be low in organic matter.

Distinct areas of woodland play a role in carbon sequestration and may also be important for carbon substitution.

Intertidal mud (although localised) is an important source of carbon sequestration.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – There is potential to increase the carbon sequestration and storage capacity of the soils by increasing organic matter and reducing the frequency/area of cultivation. This could lead to benefits to soil quality, water quality and biodiversity, as could restoration and expansion of wetland habitats which could also enhance the organic content of associated soils.

Ensuring no loss of intertidal habitats will be important to ensure no loss of natural carbon sequestration associated with these habitats.

In this urban NCA there is potential to encourage an increase in urban trees. This could be particularly beneficial in response to climate change, with urban trees providing summer shade and a cooling function.

Managed woodlands are also important for carbon substitution, through their use as a renewable energy.

Opportunities – Restore and expand wetland floodplain and coastal habitats throughout the Stour catchment and along the coast, to conserve and enhance the organic content of associated soils/mud that provide a store of carbon.

Where habitats are due to be lost to coastal squeeze, compensation habitats should be sought where natural regeneration is not possible or practical.

There is potential to increase organic matter levels through management intervention on arable land and reduction in inputs can also play a role.

Improvements in soil structure will also help improve water quality.

Opportunity for creation of new woodland areas where appropriate and not in conflict with landscape or historic environment objectives, along with good management of existing woodlands which will have a role in carbon sequestration and substitution.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Climate regulation
• Water regulation
• Biodiversity

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Coastal habitats

State – Accretion of sediment is a feature of the area demonstrated by the closure of the Wantsum channel and the sand and mud on intertidal areas. However, erosion is also an issue with stretches of coastline retreated some 4 to 5 km since roman times, although largely now contained by coastal defence work, continuing sea level rise and increased storminess means that erosion is still a possibility.

Shoreline management plan identifies preferred policies of allowing cliff retreat on the undefended chalk cliff frontages (including Thanet Coast SAC), which will benefit the natural cliff habitats and intertidal chalk reef although may lead to loss of cliff-top grasslands.

Low-lying coastal features and habitats including saltmarsh, mudflats and shingle beaches are liable to be lost to ‘coastal squeeze’ over the longer term, (policies of Hold the Line are identified along a number shingle beach frontages).

The preferred policies identified in the Shoreline Management Plan along the sand dune frontage at Sandwich Bay SAC will allow the dunes to function freely for the foreseeable future (The Isle of Grain to South Foreland SMP Review. Halcrow Group Ltd, 2010).

Main beneficiary – National

Analysis – The coastline is diverse with an urban hinterland, agricultural land, designated sites, geological, historic, landscape and recreation assets.

Natural regeneration/migration where appropriate and/or creating compensation habitats in areas of managed realignment will help ensure no net loss of habitat.

Opportunities – There is an opportunity to plan and manage for the effects of coastal change, allow the operation of natural coastal processes and the creation of new habitats, to maintain and enhance local landscape character, biodiversity and improve sustainability of current management practices and to reduce flooding to built areas.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Regulating coastal flooding and erosion
• Biodiversity

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Rivers
• Wetlands
• Semi natural habitats

State – For information regarding the current state of water quality within this NCA, refer to the Environment Agency (Draft river basin management plan maps).

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – In some parts of the NCA current contributions of this service are low and there is potential to improve the water quality of rivers and groundwater.

Management interventions across catchments (such as buffer strips restoration of wetland habitats and enhancement of soil quality) will improve water quality by minimising the impact of eutrophication from run-off. The creation of buffer strips will also aid the reduction of runoff from muck applications and hence help reduce bacteria from faecal matter reaching the rivers. These management interventions can also benefit biodiversity, especially where they create wildlife corridors.

Opportunities – Work in partnership and across sectors to improve the quality of surface waters and groundwater of the NCA, especially those currently failing to meet Water Framework Directive objectives for good ecological status (surface water) or good status (groundwater).

Significant restoration and creation of semi-natural wetland habitats adjacent to watercourses within the Stour catchment – a Defra priority, plus creation of grassland buffer strips running across slopes to help limit diffuse pollution from agriculture and thus improve the water quality of rivers.

Opportunities to manage farmland under Catchment Sensitive Farming principles to improve surface and groundwater quality. In particular, this will help protect the WFD protected Stour Estuary and negative impacts of poor water quality on the shellfish waters and quality of the shellfish flesh.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Regulating water quality
• Regulating soil erosion
• Regulating water flow
• Regulating soil quality
• Biodiversity

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Wetland habitats including reedbeds
• Rivers
• Surface waters
• Semi-natural floodplain habitats

State – The Stour and North Kent Rivers Catchment Flood Management Plans provide an overview of the flood risk in the area. In the west this includes river flooding along the Shuttle and Cray and surface water flooding in urban areas. In the east flood risk is associated with the River Stour and flash flooding in coastal towns (North Kent Rivers Catchment Flood Management Plan, Environment Agency, 2009; River Stour Catchment Flood Management Plan, Environment Agency, 2009).

Tidal flooding poses the greatest risk to areas such as Dartford, with extensive flood defences occurring here and along the River Medway. Coastal flood defences occur along the NCAs main body of coast between Whitstable and Deal.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Increased regulation of river flooding would help to reduce flood risk, increase biodiversity and water availability. It could potentially lead to a change in cropping/agriculture by increasing vegetation cover/extension of semi-natural habitats especially wetland habitats. Excessive run-off may be reduced by improvements in soil quality and other land management interventions.

Habitats such as saltmarsh, mudflats and sand dunes provide a flood protection service. Rising sea levels will put pressure on existing flood defences, this could lead to higher tidal defences being built, or opening up opportunities for more managed realignment and flood storage schemes, which could include creation of new habitats.

Wet woodland, traditional woodland and short rotation coppice may also play a role in regulating water flow if suitably placed and designed.

Opportunities – Opportunity for restoration and creation of favourably managed wetland habitats along the floodplains of the Stour catchment, bringing rivers back into continuity with their floodplains to allow for more regular flooding of identified areas.

Green infrastructure opportunities (including enhanced soil management within urban areas) may play a role in supporting the resilience of communities to flooding, with potential changes around communities with new areas of woodland or wetlands. This may enhance the aesthetic appeal of local landscapes to the community and provide new opportunities for recreation (Draft report – Assessing the Potential Consequences of Climate Change for England’s Landscapes: North Kent, Natural England).

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Regulating water quality
• Regulating soil erosion
• Regulating water quality
• Water availability
• Biodiversity
• Climate regulation

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Soils
• Freely draining lime rich and slightly acid loamy soils
• Slightly acid but base-rich loamy and clayey soils
• Permanent grassland and other semi natural habitats

State – The freely draining lime-rich loamy soils (12%) are typically of moderate depth and droughty but due to their calcareous nature have a degree of natural resilience.

These and the freely draining slightly acid loamy soils (40%) may be valuable for aquifer recharge, requiring the maintenance of good structural conditions to aid water infiltration and requiring the matching of nutrients to needs to prevent pollution of the underlying aquifer.

The slowly permeable seasonally wet slightly acid but base-rich loamy and clayey soils (14%) may suffer compaction and/or capping as they are easily damaged when wet, which in turn may lead to increasingly poor water infiltration and diffuse pollution as a result of surface water run-off.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – The nature of intensive agriculture means the current contribution to this service could be improved. All of these soils have potential for increased organic matter levels through management interventions. Maintaining quality of soils will help safeguard future yields and wider ecosystem service provision.

Opportunities – Opportunity to improve management practices, for example through minimal tillage, improving soil structure, relieving soil compaction and aiding water infiltration (which will also have the benefit of reducing run-off and associated flood risk and aiding aquifer recharge). Crop diversity within the farming system could also be beneficial for maintaining soil quality.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Regulating soil quality
• Regulating water quality
• Regulating soil erosion
• Regulating water flow

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Semi natural vegetation cover
• Hedgerows

State – Soil erosion is a local issue in some areas.

The freely draining loamy soils (52%) have enhanced risk of soil erosion. In the case of the slightly acid soils this is exacerbated where organic matter levels are low after continuous arable cultivation or where soils are compacted, while this soil type also has the potential for wind erosion.

The freely draining very acid sandy and loamy soils (8%) can erode easily where vegetation is removed.

The freely-draining base-rich soils and loamy/clayey soils with impeded drainage (12%) may be susceptible to capping and slaking, increasing the risk of soil erosion, the latter are easily compacted by machinery if accessed when wet, increasing the risks of soil erosion by surface water run-off, especially on steeper slopes.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – Increasing regulation of soil erosion would require an expansion of the existing service by taking high risk areas out of cultivation. This could also lead to benefits for biodiversity by reducing sedimentation in rivers. Creation of arable field margins and conservation headlands could also have multiple benefits.

Soil management to build up soil organic matter improves soil structure, reduces the risk of soil compaction and therefore erosion.

Opportunities – There is an opportunity to improve soil structure and increase the organic matter content of the soils through management interventions. This will help increase water filtration (aiding aquifer recharge) and reduce the risk of soil erosion.

Opportunity to create areas of semi- natural habitat and low-input grasslands (including grassland buffer strips) to minimise soil compaction, allow dense vegetation to improve water retention and minimise soil runoff and improve water quality.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Regulating soil erosion
• Regulating soil quality
• Biodiversity
• Regulating water quality
• Regulating water flow

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Habitats including orchards, unimproved grassland, woodlands, wooded heath, scrub

State – Small areas of lowland heath provide a source of nectar for pollinating insects within the NCA along with areas of unimproved grassland.

The Blean complex is a significant source of pollinators along with the other small woodlands.

The area is characterised by productive agricultural fields and intensification of agriculture has led to a loss of pollinator habitat.

Main beneficiary – National

Analysis – In a productive agricultural area including orchards and soft fruit pollinators are critical for the future of insect dependent crops and increases in this service may be required in order to provide greater options for future cropping.

This service could be increased by restoration and creation of wetland habitats, conservation headlands and arable field margins. This could have a beneficial impact on biodiversity by linking habitats and creating network of habitats in close proximity.

Management of traditional and commercial orchards to provide habitats for increased numbers of pollinators would be beneficial.

Opportunities – Opportunities to enhance the agricultural landscape through creation of habitat mosaics where forage and nesting sites are provided for pollinators such as conservation headlands, arable field margins and wildflower mixes.

This will have additional environmental benefits.

Opportunities for a landscape scale approach which provides the necessary connectivity and extent of habitats to sustain populations of pollinators. There is potential to do this by; restoration of grassland / heathland and woodland habitats within the Blean complex; wet grassland habitats along the floodplains of the Stour, and other patches of unimproved grassland on cliff tops and associated with the chalk.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Pollination
• Food provision
• Biodiversity
• Regulating soil erosion
• Regulating water flow

No information available.

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Strong local historic associations
• Ancient woodlands
• Coast

State – Sense of place is provided by expansive views over the open and extensive gently undulating agricultural landscape, with the predominance of orchards and other horticultural land uses that give rise to central areas being known as the ‘Garden of England’.

Local variations give rise to more distinctive sense of place, notably the extensive ancient woodland around Blean, the wetland habitats associated with the Stour valley and the coastal features that include the chalk cliffs of Thanet and the dune systems of Sandwich Bay.

Medway has strong associations with naval history and Charles Dickens, who lived in the NCA and whose novel, Great Expectations was set in this area of North Kent.

Main beneficiary – Regional

Analysis – The North Kent Plain has a very distinctive agricultural landscape and the orchards, soft fruits and horticulture re-enforce Kent’s reputation as the Garden of England. Climate change may result in changes in the physical landscape and natural and historic assets, such changes may affect sense of place.

The NCA acts as a major communications corridor, with extensive 20th century development particularly evident within the flat, low-lying landscape. The NCA is heavily urbanised, notably in southeast London, but also the Thames and Medway Towns and the coastal towns of Thanet. Future development should seek to protect and enhance the assets which provide a strong sense of place.

Opportunities – Maintain the historic character and long tradition of the farmed landscape, including associations with fruit growing. Opportunities to enhance habitats which provide a sense of place, especially the ancient woodlands, wetland habitats, coastal features and other areas of greenspace.

There is an opportunity to further promote the assets of this NCA to encourage tourism and the socio- economic benefits which may result.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Sense of place/inspiration
• Sense of history
• Biodiversity

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Range of historic assets including evidence of occupation since the Palaeolithic
• Roman remains
• Historic parks
• Maritime and military heritage
• Farming traditions
• Historic settlement and vernacular
• Ancient woodlands

State – Sense of history is associated with the rich variety of historic assets including the Swanscombe Skull, (some of the earliest human remains found in the UK), Neolithic finds, Iron Age sites and distinctive Roman remains throughout including the Roman Saxon Shore Forts at Richborough and Reculver. Extensive remains also occur at Canterbury a World Heritage Site that includes Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine’s Abbey and St Martin’s Church.

The urban environments also have a strong sense of history, some with medieval cores, others of early modern date, but all with clearly visible successions of later development.

The NCA has a strong maritime and military history associated with the coastal towns and the Medway Estuary.

History is also sensed through the varied field and routeway patterns (including Watling Street Roman road) and strong associations with fruit growing.

Main beneficiary – National

Analysis – Many heritage assets are at risk or susceptible to loss or damage. Many scheduled interests are identified on the scheduled monuments at risk register, with arable ploughing identified as the main risk. This is particularly notable on Thanet, where soils are highly fertile and productive.

The extensive historical remains provide opportunities to link communities with their local heritage and to further our understanding of past human activity. It is therefore important to continue to protect, research and interpret the historic environment.

Increasing sense of history could lead to increased sense of place by reinforcing the historic character of the landscape.

This NCA offers a significant resource for tourists, from coastal towns to a range of historic features which are accessible to the public. This is important for the local economy.

Opportunities – There is an opportunity to protect, interpret and promote the historic assets of the area and where appropriate improve access for local communities and tourists. Opportunities for improved management should be identified and encouraged, especially where sites are at risk.

Given the development pressure in the area there is an opportunity to encourage the use of vernacular architecture and materials in new developments whilst conserving traditional buildings such as oast houses.

Maximise the economic benefits of promoting the heritage sites as visitor attractions.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Sense of history
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Recreation

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Coast
• Extensive ancient woodland around Blean
• Remnant wetland habitats of the Stour Valley

State – Tranquillity is a scarce resource within the area given the dominance of the urban environment towards the west and the large coastal settlements, with just 11.7% of the NCA assessed as ‘undisturbed’ (CPRE Intrusion Map, 2007), a drop from 34% in the 1960s. The majority of undisturbed land now occurs to the east of Canterbury and along the Sandwich Bay coast. Senses of tranquillity are likely to be associated with the extensive ancient woodland around Blean and blocks of ancient woodland further west, as well as the remnant wetland habitats of the Stour Valley and the undeveloped areas of the coast.

Main beneficiary – Local

Analysis – Development pressures are likely to put increased pressure on the tranquillity of the NCA. It will be important to incorporate good green infrastructure into existing and new developments.

Opportunities to increase tranquillity or avoid further losses through for example woodland buffers of urban areas may have multiple benefits if sited appropriately.

Opportunities – Opportunities to provide significant broadleaved woodland buffers, where appropriate, around intrusive development (including urban areas, major transport corridors and disused landfill and mineral sites), whilst maintaining existing areas of tranquillity to the east of Canterbury and along stretches of the coast, as well as those associated with the ancient woodlands of the Blean, other woodland blocks in the west, and the wetlands of the Stour valley.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Tranquillity
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Biodiversity

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• National Trail
• Footpaths
• Coast
• Woodland
• Open access land
• NNRs

State – Recreation and access is supported by links to the North Downs Way National Trail and 1,440 km of public footpaths (equivalent to 1.7 km per km2), including the Saxon Shore Way, Thanet Coastal Path, Medway Valley Walk, Darent Valley Path, Stour Valley Walk and Wantsum Walk, while 0.4% of the NCA is open access land. Further significant recreational opportunities are offered by the Blean woodland complex northwest of Canterbury, as well as by recreational facilities provided along the coast.

Green infrastructure is important for local communities of urban areas.

Main beneficiary – National

Analysis – There are excellent opportunities to improve recreation in this NCA. This needs to be sympathetically delivered ensuring the continued protection and enhancement of biodiversity interests.

The recreational resource allows people to actively engage in, value, and enjoy the natural environment.

The benefits of this include improved health, community cohesion through local action, income through tourism and recreation, and a contribution to a low carbon economy through increased sustainable leisure use.

Opportunities – Opportunities to enhance access throughout the area, creating new permissive access that links settlements to historic features, national trails and other areas of interest including the coast and the Blean complex, as well as to significant new areas of recreational greenspace that form part of new landscapes surrounding urban areas providing a significant local recreational resource.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Recreation

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Diverse range of habitats including those with International and National designations and a network of local wildlife sites.

State – The NCA contains 5 SPAs, 5 SACs, 5 Ramsar sites and 4,500 ha of land that is nationally designated as SSSI. As of March 2011 61% of SSSI were in favourable condition but there are still unfavourable recovering, unfavourable no change and a small area of unfavourable declining units.

A range of BAP priority habitats are found across the NCA (This information has been published prior to the release of the updated Kent Habitat Survey which will be available in 2013).

Biodiversity interest is notable around the coast (relating to SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites) ancient woodland sites and wetlands including the largest reedbed in the south east of England at Stodmarsh.

Main beneficiary – International/National

Analysis – The coastal habitats SPA, SAC, Ramsar and SSSI will be at risk from sea level rise. Natural regeneration/migration where appropriate and/or creating compensation habitats in areas of managed realignment will help ensure no net loss of habitat. The sand dunes at Sandwich bay are particularly vulnerable to sea level rise due to their fixed state and inability for the habitat found here to be established elsewhere.

Wetland habitats of Stodmarsh in the Stour Valley (SSSI, SAC, SPA and Ramsar) are in favourable or unfavourable recovering condition. The habitats support an assemblage of rare invertebrates and provide wintering and breeding habitats for wetland bird species, maintaining these habitats in good condition will be essential for supporting biodiversity and other services such as pollination, soil, water and climate regulation.

Continued management and maintaining extent will be important to maintain structural diversity and the value of these distinct areas of woodland for biodiversity. Increased risks associated with tree diseases need to be recognised and managed.

Opportunities – Work in partnership to strengthen and create ecological networks across the North Kent Plain landscape. Linking, buffering and creating new wildlife sites in rural and urban areas.

Use the local information available in Kent such as habitat and opportunity mapping to help inform action on the ground and delivery of landscape scale projects.

Opportunities to significantly restore, create and re-link the fragmented wetland habitats of the Stour Valley to enhance biodiversity and create a robust and extensive wildlife habitat with enhanced adaptation to climate change.

In addition, opportunities to improve the condition of ancient semi-natural woodland and heathland and grassland habitats of the Blean complex, restoring and re-linking habitats. Also opportunities to improve condition of other ancient woodlands through appropriate management.

There is an opportunity to increase the mosaic of habitats to enhance heterogeneity which will allow species to take advantage of local changes in microclimate within habitat types. The creation of transitional habitats between coastal and terrestrial habitats will also provide increased variability of habitats and microclimates (Draft report – Assessing the Potential Consequences of Climate Change for England’s Landscapes: North Kent, Natural England).

Also opportunities to maintain and protect the habitats along the coast, including saltmarsh, intertidal sand and mud, sand dunes, shingle, brackish lagoons, cliff top grasslands and cliffs. Promoting opportunities for natural regeneration where appropriate and/or creating compensation habitats to ensure no net loss where habitats will be lost to coastal squeeze (Draft report – Assessing the Potential Consequences of Climate Change for England’s Landscapes: North Kent, Natural England – not yet published).

Opportunities to use the biodiversity resource for education programs, linking communities with their natural environment.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Biodiversity
• Regulating water quality
• Regulating coastal erosion
• Regulating soil quality
• Regulating water flow
• Climate regulation

Assets/attributes: main contributors to service –

• Geology exposed in inland pits and quarries
• Coastal cliffs

State – There are 11 nationally designated Geological Sites within the NCA (including 4 mixed interest) and 15 local geological sites. The majority of these are manmade exposures in inland pits.

The chalk cliffs are of special interest for the exposed geological strata and the 23 km of coastal cliffs around Thanet form one of the longest continuous undefended stretches of chalk cliff in Britain (North Kent Coast, Maritime Natural Area, English Nature, 1997).

Main beneficiary – National

Analysis – Designated sites provide important and accessible sections allowing the interpretation, understanding and continued research into the geodiversity of the NCA. Exposure of these features also makes a positive contribution toward sense of place, sense of history and recreation.

Opportunities – Restoration and appropriate management of disused mineral workings integrating them into the landscape through creation of semi-natural habitats whilst retaining geological interests and providing a recreational resource.

Principal services offered by opportunities –

• Geodiversity
• Biodiversity
• Recreation
• Sense of place/inspiration
• Sense of history