Episoder
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A run down and overgrown medieval churchyard in Sandwich has been restored to a beautiful wildlife haven by a group of local volunteers. In this amazing story, you'll hear from the people who brought this churchyard back to life and find out what they discovered when they peeled the ivy back from the tombstones.
It takes a community of passionate people to make a difference and you can really tell that has happened here in Sandwich. With a bit of organising and hard work, each person has found a role, whether that be to document the history of the place and the people buried here or clearing overgrown vegetation, they all work so hard to make this place a special site for anyone who wants to visit.
Visit the project site here: https://stclementsandwich.org.uk/churchyard/
Watch a shortened version of this podcast on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tmD5vOYhqOU
Read the transcript here: https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/blog/rewilding-churchyard-sandwich-podcast
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Iain Tolhurst NBE is a pioneering organic farmer and owner of Tolhurst Organic Farms. This farm has made quite a name for itself because it is able to feed 350 families on 14 acres of what is classified as poor quality agricultural land up to now, without any government subsidies. He manages this land with minimal external inputs to the farm. This means no chemical fertiliser or pesticides. He also does this without any livestock or external fertility from animals. Nearly 20% of his farm is trees and an additional 40% set aside for green manure. So how does he do it?
Iain's farming methods have been so well recognised that he was awarded an Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his services to agriculture. Iain believes in using natural farming systems to create soil fertility and enhance biodiversity. Could this be the future of farming?
Visit the Tolhust Organic website to find out more: https://www.tolhurstorganic.co.uk/
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Once heard purring in every corner of Marden, the turtle dove is now under threat; both in Africa where it spends its winters, and here in the UK where it spends its summers. What happens when a passionate community of wildlife lovers decide to take action to bring this evocative bird back to its former glory? In this episode you will hear from farmers, ornithologists, scientists and community residents who have taken it upon themselves to make Marden a turtle dove haven.
A project like this has many facets, so Rob interviews;
local farmers Christine Cox and Lou Carpenter about how they're creating habitat for turtle doves with the help of Natural England,scientist Kirsty Swinnerton of Kent Wildlife Trust discussing the GPS tracking of turtle doves and more about their ecology,Lyndsay Whitby and Karen Latchford, volunteers and Marden Wildlife Group members who scour thousands of hours of footage of turtle doves to get a picture of their behaviour and learn about population numbers,and Ray Morris, one of the founding members of Marden Wildlife Group and resident ornithologist.Find out more: https://mardenwildlife.org.uk/
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Bugs Matter is a national citizen science survey aiming to create a picture of insect decline in the UK by looking at the windscreen phenomenon. You may not remember this but there was once a time when our windscreens were covered in bug splats. Where have all the insects gone? And what could their demise mean for the rest of us!?
Rob Smith interviews Dr Lawrence Ball of Kent Wildlife Trust to find out more. There's still time to help out with Bugs Matter's 2024 survey season so make sure to download the app and get counting now!
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Rob Smith visits Moat Farm in Kent to figure out where the nightingales went and how farmer Michael Bax has been on a mission to bring them back. Learn all about nightingales, where they are found and how habitat is being created for them. Spoiler, you may even get to hear the exquisite night-time song of a nightingale in action!
The common nightingale or Luscinia megarhynchos are rather plain birds who are difficult to spot in the foliage of a tree but their song is a great way to identify them. It's very melodic and rich! They winter in West Africa and arrive back in the UK around April time to breed so we are privileged to hear them call to maintain their territories and find their mates. Nightingales are on the UK Red list for conservation status as their numbers have shown a steady decline here. One of many migratory species who could find our colder, wetter springs unsuitable.
Visit the Moat Farm Kent website: https://moatfarmkent.co.uk/
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Meet Charlie Burrell, Co-Owner of the Knepp Estate and Chair of Rewilding Britain. Some 20 years ago, Charlie and his wife Isabella Tree decided they needed to take a different approach on their 3,500 acres of land. Their story is famous but where are they now and where do they hope the future is going? You'll have to listen to find out!
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Join Rob Smith as he walks around Scotney Castle and Gardens learning about how the team here are managing the land for nature whilst welcoming 180,000 visitors a year. Rob meets Rebecca Rees, General Manager, Senior Gardener, Andrea Bennet and Richard Newman, Head Ranger to focus on different areas of the estate and learn how they're managed with nature in mind. Scotney manages 788 acres of land with 30 acres just dedicated to formal gardens and 300 acres designated as a SSSI! Well worth a visit if you haven't already been.
Rob also joins a hedgerow laying workshop in Moat Farm, Shadoxhurst as he learns more about the importance of hedgerows for wildlife from Megan Gimber, Key Habitats Officer at People's Trust for Endangered Species and the self-proclaimed Hedgerow Geek! He also talks to many farmers who took part in the workshop to find out why they're changing the way they manage hedgerows on their farms.
Finally, Rob speaks to Amy Fitzmaurice, Kent Wildlife Trust's Human Co-Existence Officer, Matt Phelps, Species Recovery Officer at Sussex Wildlife Trust and others, who introduce the South East Pine Marten Restoration Project. A multi-organisational partnership which is laying the ground-work to the potential reintroduction of Pine Marten in the South East of England. There's a lot that goes into a reintroduction project like this so if you're interested in finding out about pine martens and whether or not you think they will cope in a highly populated region such as a the South East, make sure to have a listen!
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The Government has made legally-binding commitments to end nature declines and they've mandated local councils to propose actions and priorities for their areas through a Local Nature Recovery Strategy. Rob Smith speaks to Liz Milne who is developing the LNRS in Kent (called 'Making Space for Nature') and Emma Loder-Symonds of Nonnington Farms who is already Making Space for Nature on her 3000 acre farm.
Rob also escapes Kent to travel to Rothamsted Research in Hertfordshire and speak to James Clarke about the oldest continually operating agricultural research station in the world founded as far back as 1843. Learn about some of the research that is helping farmers work with nature using some of the longest scientific field experiments in the world.
Finally, Rob heads to Westminster to meet Sir Roger Gale, MP of North Thanet who is another voice in opposition of the Sea Link cable that National Grid wants to run through Sandwich and Pegwell Bay with a converter station in Minster Marshes. Save these internationally important sites by having your voice heard in our Rethink Sea Link campaign!
Making Space for Nature website: https://www.makingspacefornaturekent.org.uk/
Nonnington Farms: https://www.noningtonfarms.co.uk/
LEAF Farming: https://leaf.eco/
Rothamsted Research: https://www.rothamsted.ac.uk/
Sir Roger Gale: https://members.parliament.uk/member/87/contact
Rethink Sea Link Campaign: https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/campaigns/rethink-sea-link
Save Minster Marshes: https://www.minstermarshes.com/
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In this episode of Talk on the Wild Side, we explore the wetlands. First, we visit Elmley Nature Reserve, a private estate owned and managed by Gareth Fulton and his family. The reserve has been managed for nature since the 80's and is now an eco-tourism spot with luxurious private accommodation that brings people close to nature that wouldn't ordinarily visit. Rob also speaks to a volunteer about the reserve's owl population.
In his second interview, Rob talks to Kent Wildlife Trust's first apprentice Bella Sabin-Dawson about eco-anxiety and some of the ways we can all combat that feeling of helplessness. She is just a wonderful young person to listen to. Whilst at the University of Kent, Rob also spoke to Sam Maddison about the ongoing newt monitoring project that the Uni is doing and more.
Finally, Rob meets George Cooper, the founder of the Save Minster Marshes campaign. He's an avid bird lover whose contributions to bird ringing have helped make Minster Marshes a very well-documented site. Rob talks to him about the Save Minster Marshes campaign as well as touching on a more controversial topic - his work as a game-keeper.
Show links
Gareth Fulton LinkedInElmley Nature ReserveBella's blog on being an education and wellbeing apprentice at Kent Wildlife TrustSave Minster Marshes websiteSign the petitionHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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🦭The 7th episode of Talk on the Wild Side touches on a very important topic. The Sea Link cable National Grid are proposing will run through Sandwich and Pegwell Bay with a converter set to take up 13ha of Minster Marshes. Rob talks to the Kent Wildlife Trust team about what the risks are and what we can do about it.
🏘️Also in this episode, Rob talks to Sustainability Director of Thakeham Group about sustainable development. Is it all it's cracked up to be? You can really hear the passion in Josie Cadwallader-Hughes as she talks about how she is fighting to make development as sustainable as possible.
🚸Finally Rob is at Goat Lees Primary School talking to the teachers and children about some of the ways that the kids are making the school more sustainable. Rob even interviews a few of the kids and all I'm saying is get ready to have tears in your eyes. The next generation is so amazing!
Show Links:
Rethink Sea Link campaign page: https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/campaigns/rethink-sea-link
Jose Cadwallader-Hughes LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jcthornewill/
Thakeham Sustainability: https://thakeham.com/sustainability/
Goat Lees Primary School: https://www.goatlees.kent.sch.uk/
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We're choughed to bring you our 6th episode of Talk on the Wild Side, featuring the reintroduction of the red-billed chough to the Kent countryside thanks to a partnership with Kent Wildlife Trust, Wildwood Trust and English Heritage. We speak to Liz Corry, Chough Release Supervisor at Wildwood Trust who knows the first chough to be reintroduced very well and treats Rob to the spectacle of watching them fly over Dover castle.
Rob also joins James Smith from Loddington Farms in Kent. This 5th generation fruit farmer talks about his work transforming the soil underneath the farm and improving the quality and quantity of his harvest by transforming the soil underneath his feat. Join Rob as he tours the farm and sees it for himself.
Finally, Rob meets Emily Mason, Sustainability Coordinator at the University of Kent who recently won a Kent Wildlife Trust, Wilder Kent Award gold medal. Emily gives Rob a tour of the campus and explains how a busy diverse campus life can co-exist with wildlife and work with nature to reduce its carbon impact.
Episode links:
Chough Reintroduction ProjectLiz Corry LinkedInLoddington Farms WebsiteJames Smith LinkedInSustainability Strategy at University of KentEmily Mason LinkedInHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Rob Smith heads to Brightlingsea Marina in Essex to talk oysters with Matt Uttley, Restoration Project Manager at Blue Marine Foundation. He discovers the difference between our native oyster and the Pacific oyster and why Matt is on a mission to boost the population numbers of our native oyster, the European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) with a number of partners forming a group known as ENORI.
He also visits the Wilder Blean project in Canterbury for another safari, this tracking Exmoor pony footprints through the forest led by bison ranger Tom Gibbs. Find out the Blean forest is being managed naturally by bison and grazing animals.
Finally, Rob heads to RSPB's Dungeoness Nature Reserve to meet Reserve Warden, Craig Edwards. The site is set near an airport and nuclear power station, a bleak desert landscape and yet home to an incredible array of life! Learn more about the great conservation work happening on the site.
Links:
Oyster Reintroduction Project - Blue Marine FoundationBison Ranger Experiences - Kent Wildlife TrustRSPB DungeonessHosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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As the Autumnal months set in, we return for the 4th instalment of Kent Wildlife Trust's podcast; Talk on the Wild Side. In this episode, we head to RSPB Northward Hill Nature Reserve on the Hoo Peninsula to hear from Area Manager Alan Johnson about the site's incredible journey of transformation and its value for wading birds such as lapwings and redshanks.
Rob talks to Paul Hadaway, Director of Conservation at Kent Wildlife Trust about river pollution and the State of Nature Report. And finally, Rob joins the team at National Trust's Emmett's Garden for their fungi festival where they discuss the role that fungi play in our ecosystem and why they should be celebrated!
Northward Hill Nature Reserve: https://www.rspb.org.uk/days-out/reserves/northward-hill/
Save Our Stour: https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/blog/save-our-stour
State of Nature Report: https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/campaigns/election-manifesto
Emmetts Garden: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/kent/emmetts-garden
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Join us as we head deep into the Natural History Museum to private access areas where scientists are lurking. We meet Piotr Cuber, Senior Molecular Microbiologist at the Natural Museum to discuss soil science, in particular at West Blean and Thornden Woods, where Piotr and his team are looking to find out how the soil there will change as a result of the bison presence. In this episode, we also speak to Ellen Wilson, Farmer Cluster Officer at Kent Wildlife Trust about how she works with farmers in the Upper Beult and we also speak to Elizabeth Watts at her wildlife-friendly garden in Bearsted to discuss tips and tricks for welcoming wildlife to your garden.
Links:
Natural History Museum Molecular Lab Team: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/our-science/departments-and-staff/core-research-labs/molecular-laboratories/molecular-lab-team.html
Piotr Cuber on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/piotr-peter-cuber-816279a2/
Nature friendly farming, Kent Wildlife Trust: https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/our-work/farming
Wild About Gardening, Kent Wildlife Trust: https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/wilder-gardens
Note: This scientific effort from the Molecular Labs at the Natural History Museum still needs support so if you can help fund the research, please get in touch with Piotr!
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As part of our second installment of Talk on the Wild Side, Rob visits GrowUp Farms in Sandwich; an unassuming building where the future of farming is being successfully implemented. Rob will be talking with GrowUp's impact director, Gillon Dobie, discussing this cutting edge of agriculture.
Nearer the start of the programme, Rob visits our private Ham Fen reserve to learn about its beaver population, their reintroduction and give us all an update on how the project is progressing. And, linking in with the site's importance as a store of carbon, he then talks to our Director of Development, Sarah Brownlie, about our Wilder Carbon initiative, education and just how should we work with large businesses to protect and restore the environment.
So, please, join us as we take another... Talk on the Wild Side!
Links:
Sarah Brownlie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-brownlie-nee-thienel-acipd-855a774b/
Gillon Dobie's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillondobie/?originalSubdomain=uk
Kent Wildlife Trust's Safaris: https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/safaris
Wilder Carbon: https://www.wildercarbon.com/
GrowUp Farms: https://growupfarms.co.uk/
Kent Wildlife Trust's Beaver Project: https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/beaver-project
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In the first ever episode of Talk on the Wild Side, hosted by Rob Smith, you'll hear from Kent Wildlife Trust CEO, Evan Bowen-Jones, you'll join Rob on safari as he takes a tour of Oare Marshes with Area Warden Nadia Ward and you'll hear from Martin Richmond-Coggan of Green Farm. A regenerative farmer who teaches us about the value of mob grazing.
Links:
Evan Bowen-Jones LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evan-bowen-jones-72377677/
Evan Bowen-Jones on Twitter: https://twitter.com/EcoLlogik
Wilder Kent 2030 Strategy: https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/wilder-kent-strategy
Kent Wildlife Trust Safaris: https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/safaris
Oare Marshes Nature Reserve: https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/nature-reserves/oare-marshes
Green Farm: https://www.greenfarmkent.co.uk/
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Kent Wildlife Trust have teamed up with Rob Smith, previously co-anchor on the BBC South East Today news programme, to bring you an audio feast. This brand-new podcast will lift you out of your eco-anxiety and give you a tour of the heroes and heroines bringing nature back from the brink. Rob will visit farms, nature reserves, councils, labs, gardens, schools and businesses who are making a difference in their communities. Join us today, to take a Talk on the Wild Side.
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