Wildlife & Biodiversity
Cliffsend is fortunate to have an exceptional natural environment on its doorstep. From our hedgerows and open spaces to the internationally important habitats around Pegwell Bay, wildlife and nature are an important part of the character of our village.
Cliffsend Parish Council wants to protect and improve that environment while also maintaining safe, attractive and usable public spaces for residents.
Our approach is simple: the right management, in the right place, at the right time.
Our approach to open spaces
The Parish Council is responsible for managing public spaces which have a variety of purposes.
Some are primarily recreational and need to remain accessible for children playing, people exercising, walking dogs or simply enjoying the outdoors. Other areas may be suitable for planting, longer vegetation or habitats where wildlife can flourish with less human disturbance.
We don't believe those objectives have to compete with each other.
Good environmental management does not always mean doing less. Sometimes it means mowing, cutting, pruning or removing vegetation. Elsewhere, it may mean deliberately leaving an area undisturbed.
What matters is understanding the purpose and characteristics of each space and managing it appropriately.
Why management matters
Grass cutting, hedge maintenance and tree works are an essential part of looking after public open spaces.
Grass needs to be maintained at appropriate heights in recreational areas. Paths and entrances need to remain accessible. Trees need to be inspected and cared for, and hedges need appropriate management to remain healthy and avoid creating safety or access problems.
This work is not carried out because the Parish Council doesn't value plants or wildlife. Maintaining land properly is itself part of caring for the environment.
Previous attempts to establish areas of longer grass and wildflowers at Marjorie Chapman Meadow demonstrated why the characteristics of individual sites need to be considered.
Areas were allowed to grow long, with pathways cut through them, but conditions beneath some of the longer vegetation resulted in mould developing at ground level and deterioration of the ground underneath.
The intention was positive, but the outcome wasn't beneficial.
That doesn't mean longer grass or wildflower areas cannot work in Cliffsend. It means we need to put them in places where the soil, conditions, location and ongoing management make them likely to succeed.
Creating space for wildlife
Alongside maintaining our recreational spaces, we want to identify suitable areas where wildlife can be actively encouraged and protected.
Depending on the location, that could include appropriately managed longer grass or native wildflowers, pollinator-friendly planting, bird and bat boxes, insect hotels, hedgehog houses, native hedging, suitable tree planting, habitat piles and deadwood.
It may also simply mean identifying areas where nature is best left to do its own thing, with less human disturbance.
An important part of this approach is providing habitat away from the busiest recreational areas. Creating quieter spaces can give wildlife somewhere to feed, shelter and nest without constantly coming into conflict with people using our public spaces.
Not every measure will be suitable for every location, and we won't introduce something simply because it sounds environmentally friendly. We will consider the existing habitat, the condition and purpose of the land, public safety and the wildlife that could realistically benefit.
Looking after our hedges and trees
Trees and hedgerows are valuable habitats in their own right, providing food, shelter, nesting opportunities and important routes for wildlife to move through the landscape.
They also need proper management.
The Parish Council will continue to undertake necessary tree and hedge works, taking account of the time of year, the health and condition of the vegetation, wildlife which may be present and any public safety considerations.
Particular care will be taken during the main bird nesting season. Wild birds, their nests and eggs have legal protection, and works will be planned and undertaken appropriately.
Good management can actually improve the wildlife value of trees and hedgerows by keeping them healthy and encouraging the dense growth, flowers, berries and shelter upon which many species depend.
Supporting wildlife projects
We also want to look beyond routine grounds maintenance.
Where suitable opportunities arise, Cliffsend Parish Council is keen to support projects which protect wildlife or assist with the introduction, rehabilitation or reinstatement of appropriate species within the village and surrounding area.
That could involve birds, hedgehogs, foxes or other native wildlife, as well as projects designed to improve the habitats upon which those species depend.
However, we recognise the limits of our own expertise.
Parish councillors are not ecologists, conservation specialists or wildlife rehabilitators. Where specialist knowledge is required, we will work with established charities, conservation organisations, wildlife groups and appropriately qualified professionals.
Our involvement could take different forms. We may provide suitable land, contribute towards the cost of a project, help coordinate local activity or support specialist organisations undertaking work which will benefit Cliffsend.
Any such project will need to be appropriate for our local environment and supported by suitable specialist advice.
Part of a wider environment
Cliffsend doesn't exist in isolation.
Our village sits alongside some exceptionally important natural habitats, particularly around Pegwell Bay, and forms part of a much wider network of countryside, coastline, hedgerows, gardens and green spaces.
Thanet District Council's wider biodiversity work also seeks to protect and improve biodiversity across the district and create better connections between habitats.
The Parish Council can contribute at a very local level by looking after the land within our responsibility, considering biodiversity when making decisions and working with other organisations when opportunities arise.
Even relatively small interventions can become valuable when they form part of a much larger network of habitats.
Our commitment
Our aim isn't to make every part of Cliffsend manicured, and it isn't to make every available piece of land wild.
We want well-managed public spaces where people and wildlife can both thrive.
That means keeping recreation areas safe and usable, managing grass, trees and hedges responsibly, creating habitats in places where they have the best chance of succeeding and protecting quieter spaces where nature can flourish with less disturbance.
We will continue to learn from what works, seek specialist advice where we need it and look for practical opportunities to improve biodiversity across the village.
For us, caring for nature isn't about simply leaving everything alone. It's about managing our village thoughtfully so that there is space for both people and wildlife.