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A NEW FUTURE FOR CLIFFE POOLS At the heart of the Thames Gateway, the open landscape of the North Kent Marshes is one of the most important areas for birds in Europe. Most famously associated with Dickens, the Marshes are steeped in the history and heritage of one of the world's great estuaries with evidence of life here from before Roman times. Despite its wildlife and cultural importance, the majority of people only have limited access to this fascinating place. The development of the RSPB Cliffe Pools nature reserve presents a unique opportunity to help deliver the Thames Gateway Parklands on the south side of the river. It will become a major environmental asset, as well as opening up access to this inspirational landscape for thousands of people, both local residents and visitors.
Cliffe Pools literally helped to build London. The first place where cement was commercially produced in Kent, the pools were created by digging out clay for the cement industry. They have since become a regular home for thousands of wintering waders and wildfowl. The site was acquired by the RSPB in 2001 in a neglected and degraded state. Volunteers and staff have worked hard to reverse the trend towards inappropriate use by fly tippers, jet skiers and motorcyclists. Much has been achieved but there is still a great deal of work to do to develop this 240 hectare site to bring more benefits for wildlife and people. The RSPB aims to make the habitat even better for wildlife by creating more islands in the pools, reducing their depth and making the edges shallower. This will require new systems to improve the control of water levels across the site. If funding is available, this will be put in place between 2009 and 2014. Improvements to the habitat will contribute towards an increase in already impressive bird numbers, creating an even more impressive spectacle for the human visitors.
A Place for People The reserve is within easy access of both the Medway Towns and Gravesend and already hosts a series of events. A range of low impact, high quality visitor facilities is planned for installation over the next 6 years. The first phase, due for delivery by 2010, includes a new entrance, an upgraded 11Km trail network providing access alongside the river and the pools, hides and viewpoints that will get people close to wildlife, interpretation, picnic areas, play facilities and toilets. There will be educational facilities to support a year round education programme for 2000 school visits by 2013 and the site will expand its community events and activities. The first step will be a car park (available from spring 2008). Visitor numbers are expected to increase gradually as the facilities improve, up to about 40,000 a year by 2013. A Place for Wildlife The unique landscape has become an internationally important network of saline lagoons and marshes. It is home to an amazing range of wildlife from the thousands of waders and wildfowl that visit Cliffe Pools in winter to water voles and unusual insects such as the Scarce Emerald Damselfly. The Future This is an exciting time for the RSPB's work in North Kent. Over the next few years, we expect to realise our vision for Cliffe Pools. The restoration and enhancement of wildlife habitats, combined with the provision of high quality visitor facilities at a site that is in easy reach of hundreds of thousands of people, will make it an important destination for visitors in a part of the country facing massive development pressure. The project will help to raise the area's profile, which has for too long been associated a degraded environment. Instead, North kent will be recognised for its internationally important wildlife and dramatic landscapes. The RSPB believes that this will increase awareness and appreciation of the unique landscape at Cliffe Pools and of the wider marshes. In turn, this will help protect the site and its wildlife for the long term. The RSPB looks forward to playing our part in this.
ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES AT CLIFFE Should anyone at
Cliffe Pools Reserve have problems with illegal motorcyclists ie. riding where
they shouldn't be or riding in a reckless or aggressive manner, then please contact
Medway Police on 01634 827055 and they will endeavour to get a patrol car
out. Should you happen to see the vehicles that the bikers are using to
transport their bikes, then contacting the police with the vehicle
Therefore I'd urge
folk to get any details at all, especially registrations, of such illegal
activities (including 4WD & ATV's) wherever you happen to come across them,
and pass them on to your local police. All the Kent branches appear to have
teams tackling this problem (I believe that it's called a continuation of last
years 'Operation Freedown')
Michael Ellison |
