WOULD YOU LIKE TO VOLUNTEER TO WORK WITH DARTFORD'S COUNTRYSIDE TEAM?

Dear Darenth Resident,

When the Summer finally arrives....

The Borough's Countryside Team consists of the Country Parks Officer and two part-time Rangers with the Team managing a number of sites including urban green space and rural countryside.

There are two volunteer groups currently operating on Tuesdays at Dartford Heath 10am-1pm, and Thursdays are 9am -12noon around the Borough, with a large focus at Darenth Country Park and you are invited to join them in the great work they do around the borough whilst learning valuable countryside and biodiversity skills.

Sites include:

Darenth Country Park 42 hectares (102 acres) - grazing fields, open meadows and woodland, with lots of hedgerows, an orchard and a pond. The site also includes two cemeteries from Darenth Park Hospital which used to occupy the site and chalk grassland SSSI.

Dartford Heath 130 hectares (320 acres) - one of the last remaining lowland heaths in Kent but with a wide variety of other habitat types as well, including woodland, scrub, open grassland and three ponds.

Darenth/Ladies Woods - DBC own 36 hectares (88 acres) of a total 85 hectares (210 acres) of these lovely woods - designated as ancient woodland and a SSSI.

The Countryside Team, under the supervision of the Parks and Open Spaces Manager, implement management plans, maintain sites, manage visitors, carries out practical conservation tasks, works with volunteers, organizes events and guided walks for the general public, together with many other duties.

In partnership with the Community Safety Unit Park Rangers, the Countryside Team carry out patrolling of their sites to minimise anti-social behaviour such as off-road motor cycles and quad bikes, rubbish dumping, graffiti and vandalism.

The Countryside Team carry out FREE guided walks of the parks and woods. All details can be found via our Countryside Guided Walks page

If you would to volunteer to work with the Countryside team, or gain work experience, please leave a message on 01322 285497 or email Countryside@dartford.gov.uk and a team member will get back to you.