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00:00Hello and welcome to Kent on Climate live on KMTV. I'm Daisy Page and in this show we
00:20discuss all things related to environmental issues in the county. How is climate change
00:25impacting Kent? What are communities in the county doing to tackle it? And how can you
00:29help at home? Each week we'll be taking a deep dive into new environmental issues in
00:34the county and I'll be joined by expert guests. First tonight, the UK's rarest species of
00:40bat has been discovered right here in Kent. There's only two existing greater mouse-eared
00:46bats in England and last month the team from South East Ecology and Kent Bat Group found
00:51the third. The large female bat resides in Dover Castle, the iconic landmark where many
00:57different species of wildlife have found a home. We spoke to representatives from the
01:01South East Ecology and the Bat Conservation Trust to find out more about the importance
01:05of bats in the UK. Dover Castle. It may be known as a historic landmark and a great tourist
01:12attraction, but have you ever thought about it as a home for bats? Well, last month Claire
01:23Munn and a team of ecologists were lucky enough to find one of the rarest species of
01:27bat in the whole of the UK, the greater mouse-eared bat. Yes, so we do, as volunteers, we do regular
01:35hibernation surveys at Dover Castle and other sites around Kent, in particular in Dover.
01:41We've been monitoring the bats at Dover Castle for roughly seven years, every single year.
01:46And in that time we've actually found three very rare bats for Kent. So it's proven to
01:51be quite an important site for monitoring, potentially because bats are coming over from
01:55France across the Channel and Dover Castle's got a prominent landmark. It is a prominent coastal
02:00position very close to France, so as climate change and other things happen that pushes
02:05the distribution of certain species in a northwards direction, it's likely to be one of
02:10the first places that we'll see evidence of that occurring. And it's just such a fantastic site,
02:14it offers so many opportunities. We've got so many features for roosting for bats and
02:19Dan Cheeson of Natural England's been doing a fantastic job working with local farmers in the
02:24Dover Valleys. Now this bat isn't like any ordinary bat that you may find in your back
02:28garden. There are only three of them in the whole of the UK. Existing as a critically
02:33endangered species, they have twice the wingspan of more common bats and can grow
02:37up to eight centimetres in length. The greater mouse-eared bat is definitely our rarest bat.
02:42For many years there was just one individual, one known individual, and then a second one
02:47appeared a couple of years ago, and now it seems we have at least one other. How does it compare?
02:55Our second rarest bat is the grey long-eared bat, and there's about a thousand individuals
03:01of that species. In terms of the roles they play, all of our 18 species eat insects,
03:07so they all help to control insect numbers. You know, in Kent particularly we know that
03:14other species that haven't been found here for a very long time have suddenly started
03:18appearing over the last few years. So there's another species called the greater horseshoe
03:23bat that appeared in Kent about, I think four years ago, five years ago. Bats are an important
03:30bit of our natural heritage and the more people become aware of them and go out and enjoy them,
03:36the more they'll be there for the long term and for the benefit of us all.
03:41Kai Wei, for KMTV.
03:45Now each week we feature a species which can be found here in Kent. This week's creature
03:50can run up to speeds of 20 miles per hour and can jump up to 20 feet high. Well have
03:55you guessed this week's mammal? If not, let's take a closer look with this week's creature feature.
04:00The furry creature this week you might find scrambling through the trees and rummaging
04:05on the ground. You'll see them stashing food in preparation for winter and you'll be right
04:09in saying the grey squirrel. Many believe this creature hibernates, but they're actually
04:13active all year round. You can see them anywhere green, anytime. They survive the harsh weathers
04:19by building fat, creating dens and storing food either in trees or underground, which
04:24they can find again during the cooler months through memory or sense of smell. Now you
04:28might think the grey squirrel is a familiar face here in Kent, but it's not even a native
04:32species to the UK. They were first introduced in the 19th century and it's now estimated
04:38that their population has reached 2.7 million. And they're one of the reasons we have seen
04:43a decline in the red squirrel, a species which is native to the UK. The two species are familiar
04:48but not to be confused. The bushy tail, grey fur and red patches around the face and legs
04:53will let you know that it's grey and not red. Now the Angel Centre in Tunbridge is on the
04:59move but councillors say the town will have a public leisure centre whilst it's built.
05:04Officials behind the new facility say the plans aim to make it more modern and eco-friendly
05:09as part of a wider multi-million pound redevelopment of the area. To find out what residents think
05:16about the revamp, Kristen Hawthorne went to Tunbridge.
05:20The busy and well-used Angel Centre in Tunbridge will gain its wings when it's demolished,
05:25but only after its more modern, eco-friendly replacement is finished. This announcement
05:30from the council is part of a larger multi-million pound plan to redevelop the area.
05:35So the community will gain a new state-of-the-art carbon neutral leisure centre which will be
05:40so much more efficient than the current building that we've got behind us. That will ensure
05:45that you've got the best quality facilities that a town like Tunbridge deserves. It will
05:49also save taxpayers an awful lot of money through simply not having to bear the costs
05:54that we currently have to bear on the Angel Centre at the moment. It also frees up a really
05:59important parcel of land right here just next door to the river for other wider redevelopment
06:04opportunities because the key thing that does there is really bringing the river to life
06:09in this part of town. Really look at how we can make this as exciting as possible and
06:13something that people of Tunbridge can be really proud of.
06:16The location of the new Angel Centre has not yet been decided, however it aims to be quite
06:20close by either in this car park or the one just further down the path. But with the addition
06:25of new homes, shops and facilities in the area, what do residents think of the change?
06:31Yeah, I know parking is an issue anyway here because we have to pay for car parks, so again
06:36if that's something that they're factoring in their new location that's going to be a
06:40benefit. Particularly in the town there's not much going on if that makes sense, so
06:46I'm quite excited for it I think, as long as it doesn't disrupt too much.
06:50It's great because I shall continue to use it and if it's more modern and up to date
06:55it'll be better, yeah.
06:57I mean it'll be a new addition to the town that probably needs a lot more money spent
07:01on it to bring it back into the modern day.
07:03I'm not sure if this building was originally designed for gym or something, but looks like
07:09not really.
07:10The development area compromises council-owned car parks, the Sainsbury's supermarket, a
07:15petrol station and the Angel Centre. But with many people coming in and out of the building,
07:21many of them told me and seem like they're happy with how it is now. So why fix something
07:26that's not broken?
07:28Unfortunately the Angel Centre is breaking at the moment. We see that in terms of some
07:33of the issues around its energy efficiency. In particular we know that we need to look
07:37at new boilers, new roofs, new floors and actually you can't do that amount of work
07:42and expect the facilities to be of a modern standard, particularly when you're competing
07:46against so many other modern facilities in and around our local area.
07:50The council have been saving for this project and hope that it brings more people to the
07:54area and improves the overall location.
07:57The council has also launched a public survey to give residents and businesses their say.
08:02Kristen Hawthorne for KMTV in Tunbridge.
08:07Now after years of speculation, the Chancellor has officially announced the proposal of a
08:11multi-million pound tunnel between Kent and Essex will go ahead. The Lower Thames crossing
08:16is expected to be one of the most ambitious and expensive projects British infrastructure
08:21has ever seen and some fear about the crossing's impact on the local environment.
08:28We will work with the private sector to deliver the infrastructure that our country desperately
08:34needs. This includes the Lower Thames crossing which will improve connectivity at Dover,
08:41Felixstowe and Harwich.
08:43This is the moment years of indecision over the building of a new tunnel between Kent
08:47and Essex were seemingly brought to an end. Alongside a number of other infrastructure
08:51announcements including backing a new runway at Heathrow airport, the Chancellor Rachel
08:55Reeves says the government is backing the proposed Lower Thames crossing and is looking
08:59for private investors to foot the bill.
09:01It's great news for Dartford and now that we've got treasury approval and hopefully
09:06private sector funding following shortly afterwards that we can see work start later
09:13in 2025 with a view to the Lower Thames crossing being available to be opened early in the
09:19next decade.
09:20It's a clear victory for those who hope a new crossing on the Thames would lessen congestion
09:24elsewhere in Kent.
09:25It will also add much needed resilience into the transport network as well. We know that
09:31when things go wrong at Dartford, as they regularly do, there's very few alternatives
09:35particularly for freight traffic. What it means is that lorries have to divert around
09:40the M25 via Heathrow adding up to two hours to journey times.
09:44Sitting at around £9bn, the Lower Thames crossing could be one of the most expensive
09:49infrastructure projects on Britain's roads ever. But this isn't the first time private
09:54funding has been put forward as a solution.
09:56We already know that the private investors that are sniffing around on this already are
10:02looking at the model that's taking place for tolls and revenue from the Dartford crossing.
10:07So we're actually confident that we're investors will be there and as long as the government
10:11gets a green light and push through the planning, you know, this is really, really good news
10:14for Kent.
10:15However, environment campaigners have long argued building of a new tunnel would be a
10:18danger to wildlife. The Kent Wildlife Trust argues the crossing would not only destroy
10:23habitats but add to Britain's carbon footprint when it's built.
10:27So instead of safeguarding biodiversity, the Lower Thames project will destroy irreplaceable
10:32habitats, increase carbon emissions and continue to long-term environmental degradation and
10:39this is not the future that we should be building.
10:422025 is the 16th year which has seen discussion over how a new crossing could be built on
10:47the Thames. But with the Chancellor's backing today, perhaps it's also the year where the
10:52wheels are finally put in motion. Bartholomew Hall for KMTV.
10:58According to the RSPCA, 25% of people in the South East are considering ditching pets for
11:02robots. Our pet lover reporter, Oliver Leeder-DeSax, went to see what people of Kent had to say.
11:08Well, that's really barbaric. Robotic animals instead of real ones.
11:14But we've got a cat and there's no way we would swap pets.
11:17Oh, absolutely.
11:18No way.
11:19You can't beat the real thing, you know. They can't... How could a robot love you like a
11:24cat, a real cat or a real dog, rabbit, guinea pig, any pet? You know, it's not the same
11:28as the real thing, is it?
11:30I mean, one day, artificial intelligence could turn against humanity.
11:34Could be easier and you could go on holiday without feeding it.
11:37Yeah, that's true.
11:38I suppose that's...
11:39But what about the cuddles and all that sort of stuff?
11:42Maybe it'd be a little bit easier to look after, perhaps. I don't know. But, you know,
11:47you don't get the love and the care from something robotic, do you, compared to the real thing?
11:54Now it's time for a break, so I'll see you soon.
14:54Hello and welcome back to Kent on Climate, live on KMTV. With three and a half hours,
15:12nine volunteers and 650 native hedges have been planted in Faversham. The new hedging
15:17stretched 160 metres along McNade. They were planted by a charity creating nature's corridors
15:24to help encourage biodiversity and the living environment for local communities. Joining
15:29me now to tell me more about the planting is Vahri, the founder of the Rewilding charity.
15:33So thank you for joining us today. Can you please tell me a bit more about creating nature's
15:38corridors?
15:41Thank you so much. Nature's Corridors was born three years ago, three and a half years
15:45ago now, and we've planted over 31,000 trees and hedging plants across the UK. I lost my
15:52brother to sudden adult death syndrome six years ago, and it made me question what was
15:56important and what legacy I would leave behind and what legacy we would leave his two children,
16:02my three and my sister's one daughter. And through that and reading a book called Wilding
16:07by Isabel Tree, I was inspired to create the charity.
16:11Yeah, and it's truly amazing. So I read on your website that you've so far done 42 projects,
16:17I believe. Can you tell us a little bit about those projects?
16:22Yeah, each one makes me smile in different ways. So we planted all over the UK. We planted
16:29with my niece and nephew's school. So we had hundreds of kids coming out to help us plant,
16:35which was great fun down in Pembrokeshire. We've planted three projects in Kent. So we've
16:40planted at McNade's twice now, and we have planted at Lees Court. We planted a orchard
16:48there with Anya Galletti. So she is a Turner winning artist and designed the new orchard
16:53that we've created, which is going to be used as an outdoor. Yeah, we've planted up in
16:58Cambridgeshire. So we're looking for sites all across the UK. We've got a really exciting
17:03project we want to finish in Kent, but we need to raise another £1,500 to make that
17:08project happen, which will be planting another 100 metres of hedgerow. So when we plant hedging,
17:14we plant a mix of native hedge plants, and we often put trees in as well, just to ensure
17:20they have the best biodiversity possible.
17:23And you mentioned earlier, you have planted over a staggering 30,000 trees, and I read
17:28that you're trying to achieve planting 10,000 a year. And you mentioned earlier about your
17:33brother, and that's the reason you founded this. But why trees? Why oak trees?
17:39My brother was a carpenter. So trees were very much at the focus of what he was creating
17:45on a daily basis. And I guess one of the drivers was to plant all the trees that he'd ever
17:50used back. We had a really idyllic childhood, building dens and climbing, trawling out trees.
17:57And I live up in Cambridgeshire, near what is one of the busiest routes, so the A14,
18:02which takes you from east to west. And we had all of the hedgerows ripped out due to
18:07the expansion of the A14. So I can see what damage has been done when trees are taken
18:13away and hedgerows are taken away. And that has been part of the inspiration for making
18:17the world a better place.
18:19Yeah, and your charity mentions a lot about rewilding and bringing back the balance to
18:24nature. And so your first project of the year, 2025, was planting a hedgerow along with maids.
18:32So why did you decide there?
18:36My day job is working in the food industry. So I know the team at McNades really well
18:41with that hat on. And the work that Stefano and his colleagues do, being in Faversham
18:48and being at the heart of that community, it was really important that we could help
18:52with that project. And then when dog walkers take their dogs for a walk through McNades,
18:57they've got a much nicer view to look at. We've planted around the car park as well
19:01so that we're thickening up that hedgerow and making it a better and more environmentally
19:06friendly space.
19:08And you mentioned a little bit there about obviously dog walkers enjoying an environment.
19:13I know myself, I love going into woodlands. There's so much peace that's brought to it.
19:17But how can it also help the environment? What do you hope that these projects do for
19:22our wildlife?
19:25I think by planting new hedgerows, we're going to create habitats for thousands of insects
19:29and birds alike. They're also, we've seen up here, they're also very good at slowing
19:33down the water when it floods and soaking up more water when it floods. Obviously, there's
19:38the carbon impact too. And just getting out, seeing people getting out and planting trees
19:43is so rewarding. Yeah, it has so many benefits. Obviously, the best time to plant a tree was
19:5050 years ago. The next best time is now. So we have got just short of 8,000 to plant up
19:57until the end of March to hit our 10,000 a year target.
20:02Yeah. And for Fathersham, it mentioned that you had nine volunteers. So people at home
20:08who might be listening to this and be inspired by this, how can they get involved? And what
20:14do you hope that it brings volunteers that come along to these events?
20:19I think one of the best things about volunteering is you go home with a smile on your face and
20:24you've normally met some people you had never met before. We use various different platforms
20:29like Neighbourly, but we also have a sign up on our website so people can volunteer.
20:34But if they don't feel able to volunteer and dig, they can be able to volunteer and make
20:38cups of tea. Yeah, there's so many different ways of volunteering, but it just gives you
20:44a warm hug feeling. You get that opportunity to meet people that you wouldn't have otherwise
20:48met, make new connections, potentially make new friends on your doorstep. Many people
20:52have corporate volunteering days where they get paid to do a volunteering day from that
20:56company that they work for. So I would urge people to use their volunteering days because
21:01it makes a really big difference. People power is an impressive resource.
21:08And obviously, having those volunteers is so important to helping you with your projects
21:12as well. And for the people at home watching today, what is one message that you would
21:17hope that they take from this chat about your charity and helping the environment?
21:23I think get out and enjoy it. We can't take it for granted. Global warming is affecting
21:29the planet and we do need to plant more trees. So if you can volunteer and help us plant
21:33even one more tree, that's one more tree in the ground that will make a difference. So
21:37yeah, and I just urge people to get involved and thank all those who have got involved.
21:42Well, thank you very much for your time today. And I'm really excited to hear a bit more
21:47about that new project in Kent that's happening. So maybe we'll have to catch up on that in
21:52the future when that goes ahead. But thank you for your time.
21:56Thanks so much. Now, with spring fast approaching, changes
22:00can be seen at the coast and in our gardens, with birds returning after a long winter and
22:06flowers ready to bloom. Kate Buddle joined me earlier to talk about what to look for
22:10in this February. So what birds we'll be seeing this February,
22:15Well, many familiar faces will be returning across Kent this month. One of Britain's largest
22:21seabirds, the Curlew, is making the 3,000 mile journey back from Norway and Sweden.
22:27And their characteristic curvebills are a really good way of identifying them, especially
22:31when they congregate in large groups. So really great to look out for on your next coastal
22:36walk. And of course, the geese are back. The UK's smallest species of geese has returned
22:41to the UK. So welcome back to the Brent goose. These guys are often mistaken for ducks since
22:46they're a very similar sight to the mallard, but they can be distinguished by their incredibly
22:50distinctive call, which has been described as a cronk. And oyster catchers are also settling
22:57back in at Whitley, Whitstable Bay, which I'm very happy about since they're one of
23:02my favourites. And despite the name, oyster catchers tend to snack on mussels and cockles
23:06using their very vibrant bills to crack into the shells. And you can spot an oyster catcher
23:10by their really distinctive black and white feathers and their dark red legs. And over
23:15120,000 have migrated to the UK since October, and they'll stick around until about April
23:20and then they'll move on. And looking more northwards, it's the return of the godwits,
23:25the avocets and the green shanks. All three can be identified by their long, dark legs.
23:31However, the bar-tailed godwits and the green shanks can stand out from the crowd with their
23:34almost pure white chest feathers. And in Whitstable, you can often find two species of the godwits.
23:41As shown here.
23:42As I was about to say, we can see them here, but how will people at home be able to tell
23:46the difference?
23:47It can be quite tricky to distinguish. The beaks are normally the best place to start.
23:51So the bar-tailed godwits have the slightly curved beak. And as the name suggests, the
23:56black tail does have a longer tail and is darker in colour. And it's a black tail as
24:02well. Whereas the bar-tail sports a slightly shorter tail and is lighter in colour.
24:07Now, going from coastsides and our walk south to our gardens, what can we expect to be seeing there?
24:13Flowers and tons of them. We're heading into daffodil season, so there are going to be
24:19plenty of bulbs ready to bloom across Kent since daffodils absolutely flourish in the
24:24British climate. And fun fact, daffodils actually are symbolic of new beginnings. So perfect,
24:29the perfect welcome for spring.
24:31And what other blossoms can we expect to see? We've got something on screen here.
24:34Well, this is a Kent native, actually. This is the stinking hellebore, which is a bit
24:38of an interesting name for what I would say is a very beautiful flower. And they thrive
24:43in really chalky, shady conditions and are actually evergreen. So while you will see
24:48they are particularly noticeable around this time of year, you can be on the lookout for
24:51them all year round. And of course, snowdrops are making their return, which is a British
24:56garden staple. And they have the very distinctive bell-shaped head.
25:00Well, thank you very much for joining us. I've had some snowdrops already in my garden.
25:05I'll make sure to keep an eye out for other animals to be expected this February. Thank you.
25:11Kate there telling me about some of the fascinating creatures. My favourite bird to spot along
25:15the coast must be the tarnstone. Now, each week we take a look at the latest news around
25:21Kent from plans at a quarry at the heart of a garden village and to a 2.1 million restoration
25:27project. Here's Sam with the latest Climate Roundup.
25:32First up, Brett Aggregates Limited, a building material company, plan on starting a 16-year
25:37project digging up sand in the heart of the garden village based at Lenham Heath. However,
25:43the land is based in an area designated as part of the Maidstone Local Plan for a garden
25:47village scheme of 5,000 homes. The firm are arguing that the work will not interfere with
25:52the planned garden village and have put in an application to Kent County Council, who
25:56will have to decide whether the quarrying will have any adverse effects on the Lenham
25:59Heath area. Next, Sunday 2nd February was World Wetlands
26:04Day. This is a day that focuses on protecting wetland areas for our common future. With
26:09a planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution growing, it is more important
26:15than ever that the vulnerable species of the wetlands are protected so that all sectors
26:19of society continue to thrive. To celebrate this, Kent Wildlife Trust are doing a free
26:24guided winter wildlife walk at Pegwell Way, County Park, Rambly Gate to celebrate finally.
26:30Kent Wildlife Trust are going to be part of the £2.1 million Bradbourne Reborn restoration
26:35project in Sevenoaks. The process is going to restore historic lakes and waterfalls,
26:40improve water quality, create new habitats for wildlife such as bats, birds and other
26:44species. The work will be done alongside South East Rivers Trust and Historic London to promote
26:51biodiversity and try and make the place a treasured space for both nature and people
26:56to thrive. That's all we have time for on this week's
26:59episode of Kent on Climate.