Community-based Initiatives


Environmental conservation should improve not only the quality of landscapes and habitats but also provide a foundation for local communities to enjoy them.

The community-based initiatives undertaken by NWKCP work to establish and build relationships between people and nature.

Our strategy is to firstly understand, and then deliver projects which help meet the  needs of communities whether they are brought together by a shared location, interest or ownership.

The process can include: researching, engaging, involving, advising, planning, training or offering practical delivery.

 

As communities often need a helping hand at one or more stages of a project and  this is a role the Partnership can easily fulfil.

 

Understanding Local Needs:

  • User groups: Establish friends of groups
  • Training: Provide training to make user groups more self-sufficient
  • Bottom-up approach: Enabling local communities take longer-term ownership
  • Consultation: Including surveys/forums, Open space strategies

Advising and Planning:  

  • Funding: Identifying funding sources / helping local groups apply for funding
  • Management Plans: Incorporating land management, community participation, training, project management and budgeting

Delivering Projects: 

  • Local participation: Schools, church groups, parish councils and friends of groups, providing opportunities to volunteer and on some occasions train with NWKCP
  • Interpretation: Creating and delivering interpretation plans, installing interpretation materials, maximise communication effectiveness especially readily available resources such as Explore Kent website and magazine.
  • Hosting community events from planting to photography to improve connections with nature

 

SOLL Sevenoaks Living Landscape

We at NWCKP work with many and diverse local groups. The SOLL is a Kent Wildlife Trust initiative to increase the participation of local people in maintaing a vibrant and healthy landscape. Learn more about the project here.

Community-based Projects

Take a look at some of the projects that the Partnership has completed with local communities. If you would like to undertake a similar project to those shown or would like to develop a community-based project why not contact us on : 01322 294 727 to discuss.

The images above are from The Life Through The Lens Project which aimed to help residents who live in and around the Belvedere Green Links Project area develop a new appreciation for their surroundings.

The project has encouraged participants to capture through photographs the regeneration that has been undertaken within the area and the natural world which surrounds them. 

The Partnership engages local resdeints in tree planting projects across the boroughs, the photos above show people planting trees along a newly created cycle path. The trees will grow to form a hedge providing shelter against wind and noise for the cyclists and natural habitat for birds and insects.

During the school holidays the partnership runs various events across our area which actively engage people in learning about their surroundings and the wildlife that can be found there. This is a great way of getting people 'linked' with their local green-spaces.