Kent Wildlife Trust has bought an area of intensively farmed land near Lamberhurst and will convert it into a haven for nature.
The Trust raised £1.65 million from supporters to make its largest land purchase so far.
The aim is create a corridor for wildlife that links Kent and Sussex.
The site bought is two parts of Hoathly Farm which is next to Furnace Farm, which the charity already owns. The combined site is 350 acres.
The charity can now launch one of Kent’s most ambitious wilding projects, creating a landscape of wood pasture, species-rich meadow, ancient hedgerows and thriving woodland.
Opportunities to re-wet the landscape and reestablish the old meanders of the River Teise will also form part a plan to improve air and water quality, store carbon to combat climate change, and reduce local flood risk.
Major donors and organisations who provided financial support for the land purchase include Lund Trust, GJ2S, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council and individual donors Melissa and Stephen Murdoch, and Katie and Patrick Hargreaves.
Paul Hadaway, Director of Conservation and Engagement at Kent Wildlife Trust, said: “We are incredibly grateful to all our generous supporters, donors and the local community surrounding Hoathly Farm - for helping KWT secure this land. Their support has laid the foundation for a nationally significant wilding project here in Kent.
Paul Hadaway continued: “Our focus now is on returning this land to nature, creating a dynamic reserve where vital habitats and wildlife can thrive. By allowing the landscape to recover, we open the door for lost species - such as the pine marten - to return, alongside a greater abundance of the wildlife that makes Kent special.
“The success of this appeal shows what is possible when people come together for nature’s recovery, bringing us closer to a wilder, more resilient Kent and our Wilder Kent 2030 vision.”
This acquisition forms a cornerstone of its Wilder Kent 2030 Strategy, which calls for at least 30% of Kent’s land and sea to be connected and protected for wildlife by the end of the decade.
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