Two-year project begins to restore environment around Dover Castle

Work has now commenced on a two-year long project to carefully restore a large section of the natural environment in Dover. The project will see just under 200 acres of chalk grassland around Dover Castle and across the Western Heights reinvigorated to create an essential habitat for wildlife and plants.

English Heritage, Kent Wildlife Trust, White Cliffs Countryside Partnership and the Western Heights Preservation Society have teamed up with support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to undertake the monumental scheme. Set to run until December 2026, work to restore the special landscape will help create a home for key species such as early spider orchid, lesser calamint and adonis blue butterfly.

It will also aid in Kent Wildlife Trust and Wildwood Trust’s efforts to reintroduce chough birds into the area. The revived site will offer an important stepping stone to allow numerous key species to travel between already established nationally important Sites of Special Scientific Interest to the east and west of Dover.

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This in turn ensures they will be more resilient to the effects of climate change by expanding their habitats. Part of the project will see a mixed-breed livestock herd introduced for long-term management through conservation grazing.

Recently, the Kent Wildlife Trust and Wildwood Trust have seen success carrying out similar work with the reintroduction of European bison in the West Blean and Thornden Wood near Canterbury. Joined by pigs, ponies and cattle, the animals have already had a clear and positive impact on the woodland since the beginning of the Wilder Blean Project back in 2022.

Work on the Dover chalk grassland will also see overgrown scrub which has overtaken the area stripped back, revealing defensive earthworks dating back 2,000 years. There will be a range of volunteering, arts and engagement opportunities for the local community to get stuck into the project themselves.

Additionally, the work will see the creation of a year-long paid community engagement placement, alongside an apprentice countryside ranger role that will be part-funded by the project. Ian Rickards, Kent Wildlife Trust area manager, said: "We're delighted to be working alongside our partners yet again to restore more areas of chalk grasslands, which have declined nationally by 97 per cent in recent years.

"This initiative aims to breathe life back into these precious ecosystems, promoting biodiversity and preserving both our natural and historic heritage for future generations. Chalk grasslands are not just beautiful; they support a wealth of unique flora and fauna and have been likened to rainforests for their biodiversity benefits.

"And, having worked with Wildwood Trust last year to reintroduce chough back into Dover's skies, the timing really could not be better!" English Heritage head of estates Dave Hedges, added: “This is the first project to launch as part of English Heritage’s new nature strategy and where better than in Dover where the world renowned white cliffs offer such rich heritage and landscape combined.

"We are so grateful for the support of The National Lottery Heritage Fund and we can’t wait to get started.”