These projects aimed to equip local communities, partners, and volunteers with the knowledge and practical skills needed to sustain the Darent Valley Landscape Partnership Scheme (DVLPS) projects. Through a variety of engaging and educational activities, these projects have enhanced both personal development and community involvement, ensuring a lasting legacy for the valley’s conservation and cultural heritage. Below are three key projects that have contributed to building skills and fostering connections within the Darent Valley community.
Future Skills Project
The Future Skills project was integral to ensuring that the partners, communities, and contributors to the Darent Valley Landscape Partnership Scheme (DVLPS) are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge for the long-term success and sustainability of the projects after the scheme concludes.
Key Highlights
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Provided a wide range of training courses for partner organisations, volunteers, and community members.
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Training included topics such as conservation management, species identification, forest school certifications, and Roman pottery assessment.
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Specialized training on drone operations, oak processionary moth management, and tree survey skills.
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A variety of training has been delivered, both in-person and virtually, including:
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Conservation management – woodland management, species identification, habitat surveys
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Hedge-laying
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Teaching pre-history outside the classroom
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Forest School Level 3 certificate
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Introduction to drone training
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PfCO course (permission for commercial operations – required for drone flight)
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Roman pottery
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Chainsaw training
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Oak Processionary Moth identification and management
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Basic tree survey and inspection
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Landscape Character Assessment
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Brushcutter operation for Kent Wildlife Trust volunteers and Kent Country Parks rangers
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Teach O – training for teachers in orienteering for schools
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Workshops and practical training on rivers for NWKCP’s DEEP project (River Darent Environmental Enhancement Programme)
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This diverse training program has equipped numerous volunteers, partners, and community members with valuable skills, helping ensure the continued success of DVLPS initiatives beyond its conclusion.
Animated Landscapes: A Puppetry and Performance project
In Spring 2022, this immersive project, led by Puppets with Guts, engaged the community in the Darent Valley through participatory puppetry and performance, connecting the audience with the local landscape and Samuel Palmer’s artwork.
The story centered around Gnomus, the keeper of landscapes, who once walked with Palmer to choose which landscapes to paint. The project started in Autumn 2021, inviting schools and local communities from Dartford to Sevenoaks to explore the valley’s stories, connecting art with nature.
Key Highlights
- Over 4,500 residents and schoolchildren from the Darent Valley participated.
- Collaboration with Key Stage 2 students for creative workshops on their local landscapes and nature.
- In 2022, free workshops allowed participants to discover the Darent Valley’s color palette and create their own “Darent Valley picture frames.”
- The project culminated in two celebration events featuring art workshops and performances of Gnomus puppetry at Otford Village Fete and Dartford Borough Council’s Platinum Jubilee Party for kids.
This project was part of the Inspired Palmer Landscapes series, following a previous creative writing and art workshop phase led by Kinetika.
To find out more about this project you can read Puppets with Guts Final Animated Landscapes Report.
Schools orienteering
The School Run – Reading the Landscape project, in partnership with Dartford Orienteering Klubb (DFOK), engaged schools and pupils with the landscape of the Darent Valley through orienteering. The project aimed to enhance learning by integrating orienteering into the national curriculum and helping students connect with the natural world.
Key Highlights
- Mapping of orienteering courses for 15 schools in the Darent Valley.
- Teachers received resources to use orienteering across various subjects.
- Pupils developed skills in navigation and appreciation of local heritage.
- Successful first Darent Valley primary schools orienteering festival held in May 2022, with plans for future events.
