High Weald AONB

Look After

Our projects

We run a number of projects that help people learn about the area, explore it or take action to care for it. All the projects help achieve the objectives of the High Weald AONB Management Plan.

The projects normally run for at least 3 years and have a dedicated project officer or officers.

Project funding comes from a range of sources. Current supporters include the Heritage Lottery Fund, Natural England, Environment Agency, Forestry Commission, Woodland Trust, High Weald Landscape Trust as well as local authorities.

Woodland restoration advice

is focused on the sensitive removal of conifers from ancient woodland

The Weald Forest Ridge

Landscape Partnership Scheme is a £3.3 million project to involve people in the heritage of the area's highest ridge

High Weald Heroes

helps primary schools build exploration of their local area into the curriculum

Our ancient woodland survey

is updating the ancient woodland inventory which is used by planners to protect ancient woodland

We harvest wildflower meadows

to provide Weald Native Origin seed for local meadow creation projects

Read

Living Woods Project A project helping woodland owners and communities to explore the heritage of woodlands in the High Weald. This project also aims to enthuse woodland owners into the undertaking management that w... Read more	Battle & Brede Landscape Partnership Sch The Battle and Brede Landscape Partnership Scheme is a large-scale partnership project focused on the eastern end of the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Scheme area of 196km².is cur... Read more
Research project Before we can help people look after the High Weald and appreciate why it is special, we need to understand it ourselves. This is the purpose of the over-arching research project. The project sets ou... Read more	Our Land - experiences to treasure Our Land is an innovative, collaborative project that is developing and promoting sustainable rural tourism in the National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (the Protected Landscapes) of ... Read more
Ancient Woodland Restoration Project Specialist management advice to landowners, land managers and forestry contractors on the restoration of Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS) in the High Weald AONB and South Downs Nationa... Read more	Weald Meadows Initiative Practical support to landowners with the management, enhancement and creation of species-rich grasslands in the Weald. The Meadows Officer can undertake surveys, produce plans Read more

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Volunteering

Removing invasive plants

such as rhododendron ponticum, is one of the most satisfying volunteer tasks

Dragonflies thrive in new ponds

created by volunteers 'puddling' (stamping down) clay with their feet

Traditional management

such as hedgelaying can continue with volunteer help

Installation of new stiles

and kissing gates by volunteers make it easier to cross the area's numerous woodland and field boundaries

The High Weald is a veritable playground for keen volunteers, as so much of its landscape is reliant on careful maintenance. It may look natural and wild but the area has been shaped by man over hundreds of years - and still needs a helping hand to maintain its best features!

Help is needed with

practical conservation tasks.
delivering school education programmes.
surveys of local features such as woodland archaeology, wildflower grasslands, routeways and historic gardens.
and many more!

The links on this page lead to information on specific volunteer opportunities across the High Weald. If you can't find what you're looking for, try the 'Volunteer organisations' page. It links to all of our partner organisations with volunteering opportunities of their own.

Volunteering organisations This page provides a list of all the organisations that provide rewarding volunteer opportunities across the High Weald AONB and a brief outline of the kind of work you can get involved with. ... Read more	Volunteers needed! Are you free on Mondays and keen to get some fresh air and exercise? If so you may be interested in helping Kent Wildlife Trust with the management of its Weald Nature Reserves. Read more
Routeways Survey Pack Launched A survey pack to help local community groups carry out their own historic routeways surveys is now available. It has been produced as part of a wider research programme to further our understanding o... Read more	The High Weald needs You! Find out how your volunteering efforts help care for rare wildlife and help people to enjoy the area. Read more... Read more

How you can help

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Care of the High Weald 's special landscape lies with all of us and the High Weald Charter is a guide to some the actions that can be taken to care for the area.

There are 12 actions and we hope our videos and 'Green Champion' case studies inspire you!

Purchase local products
Manage your land to benefit the landscape
Prevent invasive species
Respect other users - follow the countryside code
Slow down for people, horses and wildlife
Have a say
Support local conservation organisations
Take pride in the High Weald
Live sustainably: use less water; reduce, reuse, recycle; avoid using the car.

Pond dipping with a difference The transformation of a derelict piece of land within Oakley School grounds is a sight to see! The land hid a fantastic view of the High Weald and has now been cleared to make way for a vibrant ... Read more	Woodland Gardening Forest Garden Shovelstrode is a new, low impact, sustainable forest garden. Read more
Calling butterfly fans If you would like to be involved in butterfly conservation contact the Rother Guardians Read more	Hoathly Hill - Alternative energy source Hoathly Hill Community consists of 27 houses in 22 acres of horticultural and agricultural land in West Sussex. In 2007 the community installed a renewable heating system which burns locally produce... Read more
Skinners' School - Eco-School action Skinners' School in Royal Tunbridge Wells has a programme of education by sustainable development. By actively involving pupils in issues of sustainability throughout their time at school, Skinners... Read more	The 'Big Society' comes to Lamberhurst Villagers from Lamberhurst gathered on a sunny Saturday morning to help improve the village's common for both people and wildlife. 20 local residents took up bowsaws, slashers and loppers to hel... Read more

Green Champions
Volunteering benefits

High Weald character defined

The approach of the Plan is underpinned by an understanding of the history of the landscape and forces that have shaped it. ‘The Making of the High Weald ’ and other studies in support of this management plan have provided time-depth and objective analysis so that the management aims and priorities for the AONB are firmly based on an understanding of the fundamental and defining character of the whole area – that is, those components of natural beauty that have made the High Weald a recognizably distinct and homogenous area for at least the last 700 years and that will continue to define it in the future.

Woodland: character defined The High Weald AONB is characterized by the great extent of ancient woods, gills, and shaws in small holdings, the value of which is inextricably linked to long-term management. Vision for woodland A ... Read more	Field and heath: character defined The High Weald AONB is characterized by small, irregularly shaped and productive fields often bounded by (and forming a mosaic with) hedgerows and small woodlands, and typically used for livest... Read more
Routeways: character defined The High Weald AONB is characterized by ancient routeways (now roads and Rights of Way) in the form of ridge-top roads and a dense system of radiating droveways. The droveways are often narrow, deep... Read more	Settlement: character defined The High Weald AONB is characterized by dispersed historic settlements of farmsteads and hamlets, and late medieval villages founded on trade and non-agricultural rural industries. Read more
Geology, landform: character defined The High Weald AONB is characterized by a deeply incised, ridged and faulted landform of clays and sandstone. The ridges tend east-west, and from them spring numerous gill streams that form the headwa... Read more

Management Plan Objectives
The High Weald Management plan articulates a concise, internally consistent, and well-reasoned series of management objectives based on the components of character. These reflect and meet the need for a focused, positive, and comparatively simple objective-led approach both within the AONB partnership and amongst other stakeholders. This approach allows the management plan to be used by all stakeholders as an objective and non-political tool for assessing the AONB perspective on wider matters, such as large-scale development, and for major policy changes. Moreover, it allows partners and the wider community to generate original ideas and approaches in the knowledge that they are meeting the objectives of the AONB. The methods by which objectives can be met are provided by indicators of success and their related measurable targets.
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