Bringing back wild brown trout to 'damaged' river

It is hoped wild brown trout will spawn again along the River Darent

Conservationists are calling on business and industry to help fund an ambitious project to restore the landscape of the Darent Valley in Kent.

They hope it will help protect current wildlife species, as well as bring back others that have been virtually lost, such as wild brown trout.

Marc Crouch from Kent Wildlife Trust said: “A key aim of the project is habitat and river restoration - re-wetting and creation of wetland habitat, flood mitigation and addressing barriers to fish passage.”

A two-year government-funded development phase is drawing to a close and private funds are now required to help see the work done. It is one of 12 schemes nationally that won Defra backing in 2022.

The River Darent and landscape beyond in need of restoration

The River Darent is a globally-rare chalk stream that flows from Westerham in west Kent to the River Thames.

Mr Crouch said: "We are on a mission to return this precious chalk stream to a more natural state, reconnected with its floodplain, open to movement of fish, and surrounded by a rich variety of habitats.

"By doing so, we will boost biodiversity, capture carbon, and improve water quality and storage, reducing the impact of floods and droughts."

He says the project will "support landowners and managers to work together".

'Extremely degraded ecosystem'

The project is designed to stretch ahead into the 2050s, but Kent Wildlife Trust says it will cost "tens of millions of pounds and more".

Dr Jack Hogan of the South East Rivers Trust described the Darent Valley as an "extremely degraded ecosystem".

“The idea of doing this is to move away from an idea of restoring things in separate pockets, conservation in little areas, and instead think about landscapes as a whole and how ecosystems and landscapes function as a whole.”

Those involved in the project include landowners, Kent Wildlife Trust, the South East Rivers Trust, Kent Downs AONB, North West Kent Countryside Partnership and Natural England.

A spokesperson for Defra said: “Following completion of a grant funded project development phase, project plans will be assessed."

Successful projects will proceed to implementation.

"This phase of the project will be funded by a blend of public funding and private sector investment.“