Duncan Down

Duncan Down is an open, public, location to the south west of Whitstable and is the most important place inexperienced in the United Kingdom. It is a 21 hectare region of grass and forest incorporating two ponds and a brook. The place is maintained by the Friends of Duncan Down with assistance from Canterbury City Council and has acquired a provide from the Lottery Breathing Places programme. Originally supposed for housing development within the inter-warfare years it's far now protected by way of its village inexperienced status. Approximately one zone of the vicinity of the downs is ready aside as grassland which offers food for insects, birds, and the huge rabbit populace.

Although this grassland might ideally be controlled by using animal grazing, the dearth of ruminants on the website means that an annual hay harvest is undertaken. Grass kinds gift include perennial rye, sheep's fescue, candy vernal, and timothy. Flowering plant life within the grassland regions encompass: birdsfoot trefoil, buttercup, clover, flax, ox-eye daisy, and vetch. The clover is of specific importance as bacteria within the root device fix nitrogen inside the soil that is then utilized by other plant life. Poppies seem now and again but are rare because the soil isn't always disturbed. Slow worms and lizards are discovered within the grassland current on bugs and slugs.