Extinction a threat for 372 species amid rising number of new homes
With Kent braced for almost 180,000 new homes in the next nine years, a report reveals an increase in housebuilding is putting some of the county’s most-loved creatures at risk. James Pallant reports...
Several much-loved species are “threatened with extinction” in Kent amid a huge rise in housebuilding, a new report warns. With almost 180,000 new homes expected to be built across the county in the next nine years, experts say some vital habitats are being wiped out by increased construction, while others are being damaged by pollutants in sewage.
Water voles, beavers, turtle doves, hedgehogs and bumblebees are among the species at risk.
Hundreds of others are also threatened with extinction, according to a new report published by the Kent Nature Partnership (KNP).
“The greatest pressure faced by Kent’s wildlife comes from significant and unprecedented levels of growth,” it states.
“The Kent and Medway Growth and Infrastructure Framework identifies some 178,600 additional homes and 396,300 additional people by 2031 (24% and 23% growth respectively).”
The Kent Habitat Survey 2012 showed that land use classified as development had increased from 10.7% in 1961 to 17.3% in 2008 - a rise of about 62% of the original resource.
KNP chair Matthew Balfour says extreme weather events, such as the heatwave experienced last week, also pose challenges to Kent wildlife.
“For example, bees have these furry coats and take an awful lot of exercise going from flower to flower - they will be suffering,” said the former Kent County Council cabinet member for the environment.
“I’m sure you sat in your office or home last week and felt really uncomfortable, not able to sleep? Well, the rest of nature has the same problems if it’s too hot for their natural environment.”
The State of Nature in Kent report notes that due to the variety of the county’s geographical features, it has rich biodiversity.
But of the 3,684 species in Kent that have had their threat status assessed, 372 are classified as threatened with extinction.
Of these, 201 are said to be vulnerable, 118 endangered and 53 critically endangered.
The report calls for government action to address environmental issues, particularly in regards to Kentish coasts and waterways.
The county continues to face problems with sewage pollution, and environmentally dangerous levels of phosphorus, nitrates and other chemicals in lakes and rivers.
The contamination of Stodmarsh
National Nature Reserve, just east of Canterbury, is a prime example of aquatic environments being harmed as a result of residential development.
In 2019, 79% of the rivers and lakes in Kent monitored for phosphorus did not meet the required standard for good ecological status as set out under the Water Framework Directive.
Mr Balfour, 70, says the most important thing members of the public can do is to pressure their MPs to lobby the government to take action on environmental issues.
He says there are also things individuals can do in their own gardens to help increase biodi
versity.
“Not cutting the grass too short, leaving your garden a bit untidy so that animals, and insects in particular, have somewhere to live,” said the West Malling resident.
But he adds the report is “not all bad news”.
“Yes, there are quite a number of species that are in danger, but by the same token we are retaining and actually improving the environment in oh so many ways,” he said.
The report praises the work of Medway Council in stopping the regular cutting along 30 miles of their road network to promote wildflowers.
It also points to the success of the formerly endangered Adonis Blue butterfly, as its populations are now well-established and spreading across the Kentish landscape once more.
In the report’s conclusion, Paul Tinsley-Marshall and Chloe Edwards, of Kent Wildlife Trust, set out what action should be taken going forward.
“We must continue to protect Kent’s special places, ensuring that the best examples are resilient and can provide a kickstart to nature’s recovery,” they said.
“Every effort needs to be made to ensure no further loss or deterioration of key habitats, and to buffer them.
“To do this we will need to continue to rigorously implement protections provided through planning and policy and facilitate improved direction and guidance for the county’s planners, developers and local politicians, as well as keeping up the pressure on industries that facilitate the spread of invasive and non-native
species, pests and diseases, and pollute the environment.
“We must continue to deliver more and bigger landscape-scale projects, to join-up fragmented habitats, and secure more land in conservation management.
“The urgency of the need to scale-up our efforts in the deployment of the conservation tools at our disposal cannot be underestimated, and this report emphasises four key areas for collective action: evidence, collaboration, investment and engagement.”
The report covers a broad range of environmental and ecological subjects and brings together the work of over 60 different contributors, many of whom are volunteers. It can be read at kentnature.org.uk/ state-of-nature.