Hurst Hill Farm BNG offset site

Site description

Hurst Hill Farm is located approximately 4 miles west of Ashford, Kent. Cereal crops make up the majority of the site, along with a border of hedgerows and lines of trees.

The site is embedded within a network of ancient woodlands which comprise Hoad's Wood Site of Special Scientific Interest and March Wood Local Wildlife Site. March Wood is directly adjacent to the site, and has been regularly monitored for its bird interest and supports nightingale and breeding woodcock, plus many warblers including grasshopper warbler. There is a good moth and butterfly fauna including white admiral, brimstone, speckled wood and orange tip, and pearl-bordered fritillary.

Hoad's Wood SSSI is a good example of an English oak and hornbeam woodland, hosting an outstanding assemblage of insects with moths and butterflies. The wood also supports a diverse breeding bird community. Orchids such as common twayblade and broadleaved helleborine are recorded, as well as two nationally rare species of butterfly and moth.

The Hurst Hill Farm BNG project has been designed to improve connectivity between woodland fragments and create a mosaic of new habitats to provide new habitat for both nightingale and butterflies. New woodland will be created on parts of the site that are adjacent to existing ancient woodland, which will blend into surrounding grassland via a strip of scrub.

Scrubby woodland edges are an excellent habitat for many animal species, which use the woodland for shelter while also using open space for foraging or attracting mates.

Habitat Transitions