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The Company owns a significant amount of land in the Shepway and Dover districts. The management of this land has become increasingly important. Our land holdings include sites with the following designations:
Some of our land has several designations for example our Denge site at Dungeness has SPA, Ramsar, SAC and SSSI status. FDWS work closely with the RSPB who have a large bird reserve at Dungeness and also manage some of the land and gravel pit lakes owned by the Company. Recently some of the islands and lake margins were re profiled to help maintain the damp sand / silt habitat which not only provides essential loafing and nesting areas for many birds but is also home to a number of rare red data book invertebrate species. Without this programme of maintenance the unique habitat and the species that it supports would have been seriously damaged and possibly lost. In partnership with the White Cliff Countryside Project (WCCP) we aim to manage our land holding in a sustainable way to enhance biodiversity. Biodiversity put simply is “the variety of life on earth” and encompasses all species of flora and fauna. In the last century the United Kingdom lost over 100 native species. WCCP provide ecological surveys of all our sites that include, where necessary, suggestions for improvement. Our grounds maintenance programme is reviewed in light of these surveys. Projects undertaken include copping, planting hedgerows and trees and clearing rides and scrub. Benefits have been the reinstatement and maintenance of traditional habitats, preserving rare plants for example the Wild Candytuft, Bee Orchid and Lady Orchid as well as helping reinstate dormice habitats. To learn more about the work and achievements of the White Cliff Countryside Project or to find out how to get involved with the project visit their website: www.whitecliffscountryside.org.uk |
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