Green space made official Local Wildlife Site

Old Park and Chequers Wood, in Canterbury, is home to butterfly species and at least 1,000 species of moth

Conservationists and local volunteers are celebrating after a green space in Kent has been designated as a Local Wildlife Site.

Kent Nature Partnership and Canterbury City Council confirmed the designation of Old Park and Chequers Wood, in Canterbury – a result which conservationists have called a "significant win for nature".

Dave Shenton, local wildlife site officer at Kent Wildlife Trust, said it was testament to the hard work of the Friends of Old Park and Chequers Wood.

"They have demonstrated the remarkable power of nature to bring people together, and this example gives us reason for hope in the face of climate and biodiversity crises," he said.

The new Local Wildlife Site covers about one third of the green space, adding to the existing protections on about half of the land, which is already designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), including part of Canterbury Golf Course.

The designation recognises the site's biodiversity, its value to the local community and its crucial role in the wider landscape – including helping to buffer the neighbouring SSSI.

The green space supports rare and declining species of reptiles, birds, invertebrates and plants, with 16 listed on the Kent Rare Plant Register.

In addition, the area's habitats provide vital breeding grounds for nightingales, a species in steep decline across the UK.