Award winning country park
Published
Wednesday 25 September, 2024
Updated
Wednesday 25 September, 2024
A trust of one of Swale Borough Council’s green spaces has won Silver at this year’s Wilder Kent Awards for their hard work in helping to tackle the nature and climate crises.
The Milton Creek Country Park Trust was one of 87 organisations in the county shortlisted for the awards and, in receiving silver, was in the top 41 overall.
The country park, which is owned and managed by Swale Borough Council, is home to hundreds of animal species, including the Shrill Carder Bee which are extremely rare and internationally important.
It offers a large natural play area, a community events space, as well as an extensive network of walking and running paths through beautiful surroundings.
The Wilder Kent Awards were set up by Kent Wildlife Trust, supported by the Marsh Charitable Trust, in 2020. They are a way of recognising and rewarding the positive action being taken by groups across Kent to protect wildlife and nature for future generations.
Cllr Rich Lehmann, chair of Swale Borough Council’s Environment and Climate Change Committee, said:
“We are acutely aware of the ecological emergency the world is currently facing, and an important way to combat this is through green spaces like Milton Creek Country Park.
“They provide the fresh air we need, crucial habitats for our wildlife, and serve as a place to teach future generations about the importance of nature.
“I would like to congratulate the Milton Creek Trust on this achievement, the work they do - with our rangers - to keep the park at this incredibly high standard is amazing.”
A volunteer from the Friends of Milton Creek Country Park said:
“We are absolutely thrilled to receive the Wilder Kent silver award from Kent Wildlife Trust!
“The achievement is a collective endeavour involving all volunteers, from marketing to maintaining the park's cleanliness, tidiness, and accessibility for local residents.
“Across the Swale area, several other parks have also been recognised, highlighting the shared passion and dedication of everyone towards wildlife conservation."
Tom White, education manager at Kent Wildlife Trust, said:
"We were absolutely bowled away by both the quantity and quality of this year's entries, the work that is going on in the county to create a wilder Kent is outstanding.
“When we are constantly faced with negativity about the nature and climate emergencies, it can be overwhelming, but here are 87 projects that are making a significant difference to the people living in Kent from which around 120,000 would have benefitted.
“From community gardens to schemes to tackle food waste and other harnessing renewable energy, these awards empower people, and demonstrate that we all have it in us to do something special that makes a difference."
