To provide a network of high quality country parks, we intend to pursue the following objectives between 2017 and 2021: Objective 1: Ensure high Of the nine principal parks, quality are provided, one is a National Nature maintained and improved and Reserve (and adjacent to that, where possible, the quality internationally important of our standards of sites), three contain management are independently significant of land tested and verified designated by Natural England as Sites of Special Scientific We will work to ensure that the Interest (SSSIs) parks and the visitor facilities and three are Local Wildlife are maintained to the highest Sites. The parks include a possible standards. Currently selection seven of our parks have of some of the highest quality achieved the Green Flag Award habitats in Kent. The Country and we will look to retain and Objective 3: Support Kent’s Parks team aims to improve add to these awards. Environment Strategy visitors’ understanding of the landscape and biodiversity of Objective 2: Ensure that the Through the Kent our sites and carry out biodiversity, heritage and Environment Strategy, Kent appropriate management to landscape values of the sites County Council is working conserve and enhance this are maintained or enhanced with partners to protect and value further. All principal enhance our natural and KCC’s country parks include sites have management plans historic environment at the examples of Kent’s richest which consider landscape and same time as promoting natural heritage, with sites of biodiversity alongside visitor economic growth. The parks high biodiversity value, sites management, access and our will continue within parks’ to play their part in the the special landscape of the communities. collection of Kent’s natural Kent Downs Area of Outstanding resources and assets and we Natural Beauty (AONB), as will use our parks to further the well as sites containing objectives of the Kent Scheduled Monuments. Environment Strategy.
To provide a network of high quality country parks, we intend to pursue the following objectives between 2017 and 2021: Objective 1: Ensure high quality are provided, maintained and improved and that, where possible, the quality of our standards of management are independently tested and verified We will work to ensure that the parks and the visitor facilities are maintained to the highest possible standards. Currently seven of our parks have achieved the Green Flag Award and we will look to retain and add to these awards. Objective 2: Ensure that the biodiversity, heritage and landscape values of the sites are maintained or enhanced KCC’s country parks include examples of Kent’s richest natural heritage, with sites of high biodiversity value, sites within the special landscape of the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), as well as sites containing Scheduled Monuments. Of the nine principal parks, one is a National Nature Reserve (and adjacent to internationally important sites), three contain significant of land designated by Natural England as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and three are Local Wildlife Sites. The parks include a selection of some of the highest quality habitats in Kent. The Country Parks team aims to improve visitors’ understanding of the landscape and biodiversity of our sites and carry out appropriate management to conserve and enhance this value further. All principal sites have management plans which consider landscape and biodiversity alongside visitor management, access and our parks’ communities. Objective 3: Support Kent’s Environment Strategy Through the Kent Environment Strategy, Kent County Council is working with partners to protect and enhance our natural and historic environment at the same time as promoting economic growth. The parks will continue to play their part in the collection of Kent’s natural resources and assets and we will use our parks to further the objectives of the Kent Environment Strategy.
Country_Parks_Strategy_Consultation_Version.docx