Maidstone is the largest town in Kent, England, of which it is the county town.
[1]Climate action[edit | edit source]
see: Networks and sustainability initiatives
Trees, woodland and forest[edit | edit source]
Oaken Wood is a 18.7-hectare (46-acre) geological Site of Special Scientific Interest west of Maidstone in Kent. It is a Geological Conservation Review site.
Known locally as "Barming Wood" due to the village of Barming being the closest settlement to Oaken Woods, it is an ancient woodland with orchids, dormice, tawny owls, nightingales and many species of bat (alongside various other species).
This site provides the best example of a very unusual topography, with cracking and tilting of underlying weaker strata during the Pleistocene by periglacial processes producing crests and troughs in the surface rocks.
A public footpath crosses the site.
In 2013, plans to uproot parts or all of Oaken Wood for a ragstone quarry were met with controversy due to its environmental importance (with various different species residing there) and its possibility in setting a legal precedent for up to 300 other ancient woodlands in the UK.
Cycling activism[edit | edit source]
Maidstone Cycle Campaign Forum, charity representing the cycling community in Maidstone, aiming to improve the cycling conditions in Maidstone and encourage people to take up cycling as part of a healthy lifestyle, and also as a practical and environmentally friendly alternative to cars for short journeys to shops, schools, etc. link checked 09:42, 28 January 2022 (UTC)
Health and wellbeing[edit | edit source]
Blackthorn Trust is a UK charity in Maidstone, Kent which offers specialist therapies and rehabilitation through work placements in the Blackthorn Garden. They offer help to people with mental health difficulties, chronic pain and type 2 diabetes. The charity's work is based on the work of Rudolf Steiner (an Austrian philosopher, social reformer), and the charity aims to assist individuals to progress towards their full potential.
- Blackthorn Trust, link checked 09:45, 28 January 2022 (UTC)
Reduce, reuse, repair and recycle[edit | edit source]
Maidstone Freerecycle, Public Group with 25568 members
Social inclusion[edit | edit source]
- Kenward Trust, link checked 09:56, 28 January 2022 (UTC)
- Maidstone Day Centre, Homeless Care, link checked 09:56, 28 January 2022 (UTC)
Resources[edit | edit source]
Networks and sustainability initiatives[edit | edit source]
- Bearsted CAN, Climate Action Network, bringing together like-minded people from Bearsted and the surrounding area who want to work together to face the Climate and Ecological Emergency, a community group for everyone. added 09:39, 8 November 2022 (UTC)
- Maidstone and district Eco community on facebook.com
- Marden Community Eco Hub private group on facebook
Apps for sustainability[edit | edit source]
News and comment[edit | edit source]
2021
The absurdity of Lenham Heath 'garden town', CPRE Kent, Nov 3[2]
2020
Maidstone councillors of all political colours call on Government to ease housing targets. Jan 28[3]
£1 million for Biodiversity and Climate Change in Maidstone. Jan 24[4]
2018
Free Library chance as Penenden Heath expands, Mar 1[5]
2017
CPRE Kent challenges Maidstone Local Plan, Nov 29[6]
2016
Maidstone joins the Little Free Library revolution![7]
2014
Men grow wellbeing with Parkwood community allotment project, June 4
2012
Oaken Wood Public Inquiry begins - could set precedent on ancient woodland protection across England, November 22[8]
2011
Kent case opens door to wider destruction of UK's richest wildlife habitat, May 10[9] Woodland Trust urges Government to call in Kent County Council approval for quarry extension into ancient Oaken Wood.
Campaigns[edit | edit source]
- Enough is enough - Maidstone's Housing & Infrastructure, petition against housebuilding levels in Maidstone via cprekent.org.uk, added 17:17, 18 February 2020 (UTC)
Near you[edit | edit source]
Ashford - Malling - Medway - Swale - Tonbridge - Tunbridge Wells
See also[edit | edit source]
- Towards a more democratic and climate friendly way of meeting housing need across England
- London and South East England
- Saving water in South East England