Meadows
Citizen science
Get in Touch
Our Meadows
Marden Meadows SSSI, one of the best examples of unimproved neutral grassland in Kent, is a Marden treasure. Farmed with pre-WW2 methods until the death of its last farming owner, it is now owned by Kent Wildlife Trust. Orchid hunters arrive from all over the country to see the meadows at their peak in May when the green-winged orchids and other flowers are spectacular. It is the Coronation Meadow for Kent.
In the wider area, local conservation meadows are sanctuaries for plants incompatible with the competitive grasses and legumes of improved grassland. Species can be lost when grass is mown before plants have had time to flower and set seed. Conservation meadows are also a refuge for less vigorous grasses and meadow sedges.
As plant biodiversity increases, insect species increase, which in turn attracts birds, reptiles and mammals.
Look out for
Spring/ Early Summer: Orchids, birds foot trefoil, forget-me-nots, bedstraws, vetches and vetchlings, tares, sorrel, speedwells, bugle, buttercups, glaucous sedge, Good Friday grass, adders tongue fern.
Late Summer/ autumn: Agrimony, centaury, knapweeds, fleabane, autumn hawkbit.
Fauna and Flora
We have generically grouped all our Fauna and Flora and know that these groupings aren't always perfectly correct, but this has been done to make it simple to get an idea of the variety of species we have in our parish. We do not expect this website to be used as an encyclopaedia.
Birds
Our unique environment allows a great variety of species
Reptiles & Amphibians & Mammals
You'll be surprise what's we have in the area
Invertebrates
Great variety of moths, butterflies, dragonflies and more
Fungi
Without these Trees and Plants would not survive
Orchids & Flowers
Such a diverse amount of flowers in different environments
Trees and what comes with them
Trees create homes for many different elements of wildlife
We work with
