Green Councillor Kevin Pressland is a passionate campaigner for nature and the natural environment. His understanding of the threats faced by the natural world is based on expertise gained from a 40-year career in horticulture, garden design and sustainable land management:
Today, 18th April, is a Day of Action for Nature, Parks and Open Spaces to highlight the value of nature both locally and nationally. Open Spaces controlled by Local Authorities is not statutorily required in law to prioritise open space management and therefore councils often pare down funds and support for open spaces management and enhancement, this needs to change.
I am sure most readers would agree existing diverse nature sites should both be protected and well managed and enhanced as there is increasing fragmentation of wildlife habitats, including the small amounts of such sites that exist in Thanet (whether in public or private hands).
Clearly there is a need for infrastructure for housing, more efficient public transport, doctors, dentists, light industrial facilities but these all could be achieved without compromising the remaining nature.
The UK is ranked among the bottom 10% globally for nature depletion, placing it in the bottom 10% of nations for biodiversity according to United Nations Environment Programme figures. The UK has been identified similarly in the bottom 10% of countries (ranked 228th out of 240 in one widely cited Natural History Museum study) for biodiversity intactfulness.
However, there is a way to improve/resolve this by linking nature sites, to achieve connection of existing habitats.
This will have multiple benefits namely corridors of local green areas where people live, enabling people to exercise in nature, enabling people to improve mental health and as many peer reviewed work has shown this is implicit to achieve a healthy person. This could help reduce NHS pressures (saving money for NHS https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/news/health-projects-save-nhs-time-and-money ), improving peoples mental and physical capacities in a positive way as well as enhance biodiversity (nature’s diversity).
At home your household can make a difference too. The Wilding Gardens Conference, held in January 2026 at the University of Manchester (watch Ellies Wilding Gardens Conference Recap on YouTube)
, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZHzPY6Mh6I ) brought together gardeners, designers and ecologists to explore how gardens can contribute meaningful nature recovery.
For professional gardeners, the conference reflected a broader shift already beginning in the sector. The emphasis was on connectivity, ecological function and long-term thinking, moving beyond isolated wildlife features towards gardens that support biodiversity through structure, connection and restraint.
Crucially, the message was that wilding gardens is not neglect, but a different form of skilled management rooted in observation, planning and ecological understanding.
From my own perspective, the value of gardens has never been in doubt. One of the ongoing challenges, however, has been communicating that value to clients without it being perceived as a garden ‘giving over’ to wildlife, or becoming unmanaged. In these days of instant garden creations patients of clients to achieve long term positive results is sometimes challenging.
The talk by Kate Bradbury in November 2025’s Royal Horticultural Society John McLeod Lecture was incredibly inspiring and really showed what can be achieved in a small garden that can benefit wildlife and increase joy for the house owner too. You can learn more by watching Kate’s talk at https://www.rhs.org.uk/science/articles/john-macleod-annual-lecture
The Royal Horticultural Society now has a new initiative called ‘Bringing Nature Home’ https://www.rhs.org.uk/press/releases/rhs-%E2%80%98bringing-nature-home%E2%80%99-will-promote-plants-(1)
The Royal Horticultural Society report in 2025 ‘State of Gardening Report’ (highlights both how some gardens contribute to nature recovery but how many others could do too) see https://www.rhs.org.uk/about-us/pdfs/about-the-rhs/mission-and-strategy/rhs-state-of-gardening-report.pdf
Many of us look forward to the long awaited ‘Biodiversity Action Plan for Thanet.’ Clearly this is implicit on a wider Kent collaborative approach to achieve clear effective wildlife corridor creation and we need this through all development sites for quality-of-life enhancements for residence too, but it needs residents’ participation too.
A report is only as good as practical action on the ground and that’s what we need in Thanet and wider Kent and beyond lets hope this happens once the Biodiversity Action Plan is agreed by TDC.
Why not help make the difference?
Vote for Nature Day of Action in Thanet
All events are on April 18th
Thanet groups will be among hundreds that are taking part in a Vote for Nature national day of action to save green space from development this month.
Save Minster Marshes
SMM will hold an event by The Viking Ship in Cliffsend.
There will be a showing of The Planet We Call Home film every hour in the marquee, and talented young filmmaker Connor Carruthers will be there to answer questions about his film.
Thanet’s wildlife filmmaker Keith Ross will be leading guided walks around the hoverport at 11am, 12.30pm and 2.30pm.
There will also be children’s activities and lots of information about the Save Minster Marshes campaign.
Birchington Thanet Scarecrows
The first ever Birchington Scarecrows Spring Scarecrow Competition (Thanet Scarecrows) will be held at Dog Acre from 10:30am – 2:30pm
Make your scarecrow at home and bring it along on the day. Entries are open to everyone.
11am – 1pm: Register your scarecrow
1pm – 2pm: Judging
2pm: Prize giving
Guidelines:
Minimum height: 1 metre
No pre-made/commercial masks
Keep it family-friendly
Westgate & Garlinge Action Group Against Housing on Farmland
Meeting point for event- The Gatehouse at Dent de Lion Court, Garlinge (CT9 5LL).
Starting at 10am with a Walk-‘n’-Talk.
The talk begins with the background history of the Gatehouse, followed by a walk along the footpath stopping beside a wooded area to hear about wildlife on our farmland. The walk continues to the concrete area and plan to deliver another talk about the archaeology that lies beneath the farmland at Westgate and Garlinge.
Finally, there will be a Thanet farmer meeting participants at the end of the footpath at Minster Road, with a tractor, for a talk about the importance of farmland for food. This Walk-‘n’-Talk activity includes a family friendly quiz, and prizes will be given to winners at approximately 12 noon at the Westgate Town Council Offices.
Between 10am-12noon an information hub will be set up at the Westgate Town Council (WTC) offices, with four nature focused groups presenting displays and information about their work linked to protecting nature and the environment – Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) & Save Minster Marshes Campaign Group, & the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).
Prizes will be announced and presented for winners from the Walk-‘n’-Talk quiz at the WTC offices, at approximately 12 noon. Prizes include a hamper of locally grown vegetables gifted by local Westgate Greengrocers Prentis, alongside a selection of books and other donated items from Group members.
Garlinge Residents Association
The association will be holding a gathering for interested people on Margate promenade opposite Dreamland Cinema from noon to 2pm.
The group says Thanet has the largest portion of new housing developments in Kent. Infrastructure is crumbling, roads, water, sewerage, schools and NHS are all under stress.
Wildernesstowonderland
Meeting point for event at Margate railway station approach from 11:30am.
Meadow and summer planting workshop celebrating all the local support for W2W community gardens and a ‘we all care’ picture taken by Frank Leppard – professional photographer- to promote the campaign.
