Campaigners rail against ‘plundering’ of ancient Kent woodland to make way for quarry expansion
Summary
Kent County Council has proposed expanding a quarry into Oaken Wood, a 40-hectare ancient woodland site in Kent. The plan would require destroying parts of a forest that has existed for centuries and supports important wildlife and natural habitats.Key Facts
- Oaken Wood is an ancient woodland site continuously wooded since at least the year 1600.
- The wood has been traditionally managed by coppicing sweet chestnut trees, helping them regrow and absorb more carbon.
- The area supports wildlife such as dormice, nightjars, and owls, plus old oak trees and wildflowers.
- Kent County Council wants to expand a nearby quarry to extract Kentish ragstone, a stone used in historic buildings like the Tower of London.
- The council’s approval would include Oaken Wood in their mineral sites plan but still needs government permission.
- Campaigners oppose the plan, arguing that protecting nature should take priority over mining stone for building restoration.
- Ancient woodland soils contain fungi networks, seed banks, and act as carbon sinks, making the forest ecosystem difficult to replace.
- The quarrying would mean destroying the woodland, which cannot be simply recreated once lost.
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