Celebrating a year of FiPL impact in the Kent Downs 2025–2026

The Kent Downs National Landscape is a place where nature, heritage, and farming come together to create something truly special. Stretching across 878 square kilometres of chalk hills, woodlands, and rolling valleys, the Downs are home to rich wildlife and vibrant communities. 

For centuries, farmers and landowners have shaped the land, balancing agriculture with conservation. Through the Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme, supported by Defra, 130 projects have been delivered with a total grant value of £3,501,695. These projects are restoring habitats, supporting biodiversity, and bringing communities closer to the land. 

In 2025–2026, 29 local projects received £774,006 in FiPL funding, helping the landscape adapt to climate change, protecting rare species, improving habitats, and creating welcoming spaces for people to connect with the Kent Downs. 

Here’s how these projects are making a real difference for wildlife, the landscape, and local communities. 

Restoring lost landscapes 

Many of the Downs’ most important features have been forgotten over time. The Heritage Ponds project is bringing these hidden water worlds back to life. Over 1,600 historic ponds have been rediscovered, including centuries-old “ghost ponds” that had vanished from modern maps. Careful archaeological and ecological surveys have restored 24 ponds, providing vital water for species such as the protected Turtle Dove and allowing wetland plants to return from historic seed banks. 

Grasslands are also being planned for recovery across the Downs. At Torry Hill Farm, detailed management planning and archiving of over 30 years of biodiversity data are laying the foundations for a major 128-hectare grassland reversion, which will eventually link up to 400 hectares of connected habitat. Extensive monitoring systems are being prepared to track wildlife and habitat changes, helping to create a resilient landscape for butterflies, skylarks, and farmland birds while supporting sustainable farm management.

Even smaller projects make a difference. In Postling Orchard Fields, volunteers planted 12 Kent heritage fruit trees and sowed 625 m² of wildflower meadow. These patches will support pollinators and create peaceful spaces for people to explore and learn about nature. 

Together, these projects are rebuilding the ecological fabric of the Kent Downs, supporting wildlife and enhancing the landscape for local communities. 

Protecting our pollinators and wildlife 

Pollinators are at the heart of the Kent Downs, but threats are growing. The Protect Our Pollinators project is tackling the invasive Asian Hornet, which can devastate vital pollinators across the landscape. More than 500 monitoring traps have been distributed to farmers, landowners, smallholders, beekeepers, allotment societies, vineyards, pick-your-own farms, churches, gardeners at publicly open venues, and Friends of groups. Through community trapping, real-time reporting, and seasonal monitoring, hives are being protected, and pollinators safeguarded across the Kent Downs. 

The Bees & Refugees project shows how people and nature can support each other. Refugees and local volunteers planted wildflowers, built a greenhouse, and replaced 30 ageing hives with new hives, now home to native black bees. Volunteers contributed more than 960 hours, gaining practical skills, confidence, and a sense of belonging. Here, conservation and social impact grow side by side. 

These projects show that wildlife protection relies as much on people’s care and commitment as on the habitats themselves. 

People and nature growing together 

FiPL projects are helping people as much as they are helping the land. A new  Community Garden and Orchard at Bore Place was established in 2025, covering 2 hectares and featuring raised beds, a polytunnel, a wildlife pond, and a chicken area. Seventy-four volunteers contributed to the project, and more than 200 children and young people attended weekly educational sessions. 92 percent of volunteers reported improved mental wellbeing, and 81 percent said their understanding of food, farming, and nature had grown. 

Time on the land builds confidence, teaches skills, and strengthens communities. Projects like Bees & Refugees and Bore Place show that engaging with the landscape leaves a lasting impact on both people and the environment. 

Thinking bigger for a resilient future 

Some FiPL projects are shaping change across the region. Chalk to Coast spans 450 square miles, reconnecting fragmented habitats from the Downs to the North Kent marshes and the coast. By bringing together farmers, estates, conservationists, and community groups, the project is restoring key chalk and clay grasslands, improving resilience for wildlife, farmland, and communities. Using a Nature Recovery Return on Investment framework, Chalk to Coast is measuring ecological gains, carbon capture, water quality improvements, and social benefits, providing a model for sustainable, large-scale conservation.

The Sustainable Viticulture pilot project is laying the groundwork for nature-friendly vineyards. By building networks of vineyard managers, engaging local and national partners, and developing evidence-led guidance, the project is preparing viticulture in the Kent Downs to grow in harmony with the wider landscape, supporting biodiversity, soil health, and water quality. 

These initiatives show how local action can generate benefits across the region, strengthening wildlife networks, improving resilience, and supporting sustainable farms. 

Join the journey 

The Kent Downs remains a place where nature and people grow together, though there is still work ahead. FiPL projects show how practical actions in farming, conservation, and community life can make a real, lasting difference. 

If you are a farmer or landowner, FiPL could help support your efforts to adopt more sustainable practices. If you are a local resident, there are plenty of ways to get involved, from volunteering with conservation projects to attending community events. And if you love the Kent Downs, you can help by spreading the word about these incredible projects and encouraging others to support them.