Kent Downs Land Manager's Pack

Whether you own a garden, a small piece of land or even a farm, this pack will help you to understand the conservation value of that land as well as providing practical guidance for its management and enhancement. It has been created in an easy to use, on-line format, where information specific to you landscape character area can be accessed and downloaded for free. Habitat management topics cover woodland management to include hedges, ponds, grasslands and orchards. Guidance extends to which species of plant and animal may do well in each character area.

The pack has been specifically put together with the 13 Landscape Character Areas (LCAs) of the Kent Downs AONB in mind, but could easily be used more widely, as much of the advice is sufficiently generic to be valuable in other areas. Each LCA has its own identity, and the pack focuses on typical landscape features and those of flora and fauna which contribute to local distinctiveness.

How to use the pack

The Kent Downs is divided into 13 Landscape Character Areas shown on the following map, based on their local distinctiveness, for example the Mid Kent Downs is characterised by orchards, hop gardens and parkland. Guidance sheets to each area can be downloaded by clicking on the map or on the contents page headings.

To download the guidance sheets for your area just click on the map below and then on the next map click where you live.

Guidance is available for the following categories:

• Ponds

• Rivers and riverside land

• Woodlands

• Hedgerows

• Chalk grasslands

• Meadow grasslands

• Orchards

• Marshes

• Heathlands

Each guidance sheet is concise and contains a multitude of useful information ranging from practical management tips, plant and animal species characteristic of the area, through to local and national organisations from where you can gain more advice.

This Land Managers’ Pack provides valuable pointers to help you target what is both typical of your area, and which habitats and species will thrive.