Kent Wildlife Trust names new 350-acre nature reserve and begins next phase of ambitious wilding project - Kent Wildlife Trust

Combined Furnace Farm and Hoathly Farm site in the High Weald owned by Kent Wildlife Trust will be known as Ironhurst Valley Nature Reserve - a near-continuous wildlife corridor stretching across the Kent–Sussex border.

Kent Wildlife Trust announces that its two adjoining sites at Furnace Farm and Hoathly Farm in the High Weald will now be known collectively as Ironhurst Valley Nature Reserve. The name draws on the area’s ironworking heritage, the character of its landscape and the Trust’s long-term ambition for the site: one connected, thriving reserve for the benefit of nature and community.

Together, the two farms form a combined 350-acre site and the heart of one of Kent Wildlife Trust’s most ambitious wilding and landscape recovery projects. The initiative will create a near-continuous wildlife corridor across the Kent–Sussex border, restoring wood pasture, species-rich meadows, ancient hedgerows, wetlands and river habitats after decades of intensive agriculture.

Longhorn cattle to begin conservation grazing

Plans for the reserve include the introduction of six Longhorn cattle to begin conservation grazing across the site. This is a proven method for restoring and maintaining biodiversity across grasslands, woodlands and heathlands.

Longhorn cattle have been selected for their hardiness, good temperament and adaptability across varying habitats and weather conditions; an increasingly important factor given the realities of changing climate. Looking ahead, the Trust also plans to introduce Beef Shorthorn cattle to the site. As another native, resilient breed, they will help demonstrate how conservation grazing can successfully deliver nature recovery on former arable land.