]> 2026-04-09T03:22:16+00:00 Case study:RSPB Blean Meander Restoration 500 en Draft RSPB No No Yes 51.299923475963,1.0191207693166 Ruby Ruby RSPB Merriman ,, ,,, 26756 Complete A massive year-long project in Kent which saw the large-scale restoration and creation of 228ha of wetlands, restoration of four woodland sites totalling 1400ha, and intensive management of one grassland site, has just completed. Seasalter Levels, a wetland to the west of Whitstable. The other three aspects were: Blean Woods - four pockets of woodland across Kent including RSPB Blean Woods nature reserve near Canterbury, and Wraik Hill to the south-west of Whitstable, now have a more certain future, thanks to the work of the project. Funds totalling £1.9 million from the Green Recovery Challenge Fund, enabled the RSPB and Kent Wildlife Trust to work in partnership with Canterbury City Council to deliver this incredible work. Seasalter Levels - The Seasalter Levels site had been neglected for decades prior to a partnership coming together in 2007 to help manage the site and develop it into a nature reserve. Despite this work, many parts of the site remained in poor condition and this project focused on those areas by installing new features to retain water and opportunities for animals to graze as part of its ongoing management, including: *Installation of dams, embankments, dykes and pipework *Restoration of 2.1km of ditches *Creation of 119,246sqm shallow water channels across the site *Installation of fences, gates, corrals and a bridge to keep cattle in *Clearing of invasive plant species from waterways *As a result of this work, the site will be more resilient to climate change by enabling water to be retained on the grazing marsh during the spring and summer months when birds such as lapwing and redshank are raising families. It will also provide a ‘stepping-stone site’ for species that are predicted to move into new geographical areas to live due to the changing climate. Seasalter Levels which is recognised as a Special Protection Area (SPA), Ramsar site, Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Local Nature Reserve (LNR), will now truly thrive as a sanctuary for breeding and wintering wildfowl and waders, water voles, rare invertebrates and plants. It is hoped the site will be opened up for guided walks in the future. RSPB Blean Meander Restoration rspb blean meander restoration http://www.rspb.org.uk/about-the-rspb/about-us/media-centre/press-releases/major-kent-landscape-restoration-project-hailed-as-a-great-success-for-local-wildlife-and-people/ Flood risk management Habitat and biodiversity Hydromorphology 2023-08-26T18:21:06Z 2460183.2646528 2023-09-28T09:29:02Z 2460215.895162 RSPB Blean Meander Restoration