Medway Valley Countryside Partnership

05/06/2026

Hi everyone,
Happy Volunteer Week, and a big thank you to all our volunteers that help us survey, manage and maintain all our natural spaces
MVCP Week update,
Derek have been continuing with the EDNA Survey and has almost completed all of his ponds. Then he is also continuing to survey for the elves at Allington lock.
On TAG this week we were at Meadow bank, on behalf of Bearsted Parish Council, we were clearing the paths and managing the vegetation growth there whilst trying not too get too wet. Last year we installed new steps, hand rails and benches on the site. Meadow bank is a little hidden wildlife hot spot in bearsted.

Thank you again to our amazing volunteers, we wouldnt be able to do it with out you

02/06/2026

There are some events, at Ranscombe Farm next week, if any one is interested

🎉 Celebrating 20 Years of Ranscombe Farm Nature Reserve 🎉

This June, we’re marking 20 years of Plantlife caring for Ranscombe Farm Nature Reserve with a week of free activities, walks, workshops and community events 🌿

Rather than one big event, we wanted to create a programme that reflects the many different ways people connect with nature - from conservation volunteering and species monitoring, to forest bathing, crafts, storytelling, farming, and guided walks.

Whether you’re a long-time visitor or have never been to Ranscombe Farm before, we’d love to welcome you.

📅 6th–12th June
💚 All activities are free to attend, but make sure to book on as there’s limited spaces
🌱 Family-friendly, beginner-friendly and nature-curious people all welcome

Take a look at the full programme and book your place here:
👉 https://www.plantlife.org.uk/our-work/ranscombe-connect-community-participation-for-wild-plants-and-fungi/

A huge thank you to all the volunteers, partners and local organisations helping bring this week together.

This celebration week is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund through the Ranscombe Connect: Community Participation for Wild Plants and Fungi project.

29/05/2026

It had been a shorter but busy week for MVCP, Derek was out continuing with his eDNA survey and elver surveys, this week he was also out at Penenden heath in Maidstone for Maidstone Borough Council.
On Wednesday, Alex hosted a bioblitz for Staplehurst Parish Council. We found a lot on at wimpy fields including, painted lady butterfly, great crested newt, dragonfly nymph, Beautiful Demoiselle, Tree bumblebees and slow worm and many more critters.
In Tag the vols were at Clare Park in Maidstone, carrying out some maintenance on the wildlife corner, at the start of the month we planted extra bee friendly plant species, and on tag we were checking on the new plants there in the blistering heat and doing w**ding on site to make sure that the wild flowers and trees weren’t getting cover crowed by nettles and burdock. Whilst out we also saw a rose chafer, which is a nice site to see.
And on Friday Alex was out doing wildflower surveys for Hildenborough Parish Council.

26/05/2026

It was was a busy week last week for MVCP, with the Great Crested newt, eDNA surveys continuing and elver surveys going strong. Alex also was out doing wildflower and bumble/butterfly surveys for most of the week for Medway Council at 5 of there sites including Hilly Fields Community Park, Gillingham Park, Great Lines Heritage Park, The Vines and Broomhill Park.
TAG was at Woods meadow in West Malling on behalf of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, where we were pulling Himalayan balsam an invasive species to the UK, known for its bright pink flower and how it spreads rapidly along water courses. (Himalayan Balsam – Profile and Resources | Invasive Species Centre)

15/05/2026

Yesterday we were out on TAG at Basted Mill on behalf of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, carrying out follow up work there from last winter, were we topped of the river deflectors and planted some aquatic flowering plants behind them, and carried out some habitat management of field margins of the field above. We managed to avoid the hail but got caught in the rain and wind.

13/05/2026

Yesterday and today, we were out on surveys, both at Kings Hill Solar Farm and Wimpy Fields (Staplehurst Parish Council). On both sites we saw plenty of slow worms and common lizards. As well as some interesting invertebrates including devils coach horse, white legged snake millipede, Dark Edged Bee-fly and Ermine moth caterpillars. We saw lots on both sites and finding these creatures show that sites are great habitats.

08/05/2026

Yesterday we had we were out at Clare Park in Maidstone for Maidstone Borough Council for our tag day. Where we were managing the wildlife corner at the park, whilst there we were planting new wildflowers for the site as over the years some have died and wilted away. We planted Pollinator friendly plants like comfrey, lavender, fox gloves, mint and lamb’s ear. To help improve the site for pollinators. We also removed some of the w**d suppressing fabric to test if the w**d suppressing fabric has worked to suppress the stinging nettles on site. It was a good day out and thank you to all the volunteers that help yesterday.

01/05/2026

Hi everyone, its been another busy week at MVCP,
At the start of the week, Derek conducted some EDNA surveys for Great Crested Newts on a few site, in addition to the EDNA he is also continuing to monitor the elver down at Allington Lock and attending Eel Monitoring Training at Allington Lock for people wanting to join in on the elver monitoring.

Alex also started his reptile surveys at both Wimpy Fields and Kings Hill Solar Farm, where he saw some slow worms, common lizards and some other species including field vols, sparrow hawks, smooth newts and some bumble bees (common carders and early bumblebees).

We also had our tag day for Maidstone Borough Council at Whatman park where we were checking on some bulbs that have been planted, cleared bramble and dogwood from the meadow are and put up some new bird boxes in the park.

29/04/2026

There is an induction session at Allington Lock Thursday 30th April at 16:30 as an introduction to the elver monitoring project. This is for old and new volunteers and anyone who may be interested in potentially volunteering as part of this wonderful effort.

Contribute to protecting the Critically Endangered European eel by becoming a trained citizen scientist in monitoring elver migration!

24/04/2026

Yesterday we were at Allington open space, for Maidstone Borough Council. Whilst there enjoying the nice weather, we fix a fence making out a experiment where one side trees where planted and the other side was left to see what grew. In addition to this we, where in the 6year old woodland on site, removing old tree guards as the were plastic. We cleared the woodland of the tree guards and rubbish.