Catch up on all the climate news with Daisy Page.
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00:00Hello and welcome to Kenton Climate live on KMTV. I'm Daisy Page and in this show we discuss all
00:18things related to environmental issues in the county. How is climate change impacting Kent,
00:22what are communities in the county doing to tackle it and how can you help at home? Each
00:27week we'll be deep diving into new environmental issues in the county and I'll be joined by expert
00:32guests. First tonight, a Medway councillor is calling for five historic oak trees in Hu
00:37to be protected in the face of plans to build nearly 800 new homes near Christmas Lane. Michael
00:44Pierce says the trees, some of which are nearly 100 years old, are vital for wildlife and for
00:51the heritage, warning that widening the road puts them at risk. Our local democracy reporter Olly
00:56leader went to see the risk for himself. Five historic oak trees now potentially at risk.
01:06Here on Christmas Lane in the Hu Peninsula, concerns are mounting in response to a nearly 800 new
01:15home development which could see the road widened and trees potentially felled. Now one local councillor
01:25has launched a petition to put in place a tree protection order to stop the oaks being chopped
01:33down.
01:34I think culturally and historically they are part of us, part of this nation, part of the
01:41local community. People have seen these for generations. I've had one resident mention
01:46to me that they used to see that tree. This tree is specifically on their paper rounds when
01:50there was a young lad. In terms of climate change and biodiversity, these trees must be protected.
01:54They're more important than smashing a cycleway right down Christmas Lane, which hardly anyone's
01:59going to use.
02:00A Red Road spokesperson said it was continuing to work with Medway Council on its planning
02:07application and make any updates as necessary. While the council say the proposals are still
02:17in the consultation phase, which comes to an end in June.
02:23That means while the petition has gained more than 2,700 signatures, these oak trees aren't
02:31out of the woods just yet. Olly Leader in Hu.
02:38Now concerns are being raised after a mosquito-borne disease is threatening one of the UK's most common
02:44birds, the blackbirds. The deadly virus can be spread through infected insects and the data shows
02:50that it has spread across southern Kent in the last five years. While the birds remain one of the most
02:56common garden birds, they are calling for volunteers to count blackbirds in their garden
03:00over the summer months. Now, there's a new addition at Port Lim Safari Park and it's one that everyone
03:07has been porcupining over. Well, have you guessed it? It's a baby porcupette, but he doesn't have
03:13official name yet and that's because the park has teamed up with Kent Online to let you decide what it
03:17should be called. To find out more about him and where the possible names have come from, our reporter
03:22Kristen Hawthorn spoke to one of the keepers at the park. Thank you so much for joining us today, Faye.
03:29We've seen the adorable pictures of the porcupette on Kent Online. Can you just start by telling me
03:34a little bit about him and when he was born and just the sort of story behind him?
03:39Yeah, of course. So, he is a Cape porcupine and he's now joined our family of now four. He was born on
03:48the 2nd of April, so he's just coming up to his two-month birthday. He's a little bit of a miracle
03:54baby because porcupines genuinely only have one litter per year and usually with only one to sort
04:00of three porcupettes and so his sister was actually born six months ago. So, he is a big surprise for
04:08our keepers here. Yeah, definitely and I assume that they're settling in well with the rest of the
04:14family. I mean, like you said, the parents have already had a porcupette back in December. So,
04:20how are they getting on? Are they getting on okay? Yeah? Yeah, yeah, he's getting on really well. He
04:27is already mainly on solids and he does nurse occasionally when mum's feeling generous.
04:33But yeah, he's good, he's healthy, he's on track to be good. Yeah, and you've partnered up with
04:40Kent Online to let people choose the name for the porcupette and they're quite names I've never
04:46really heard of before. How did you come up with these names? Are they from where the porcupette
04:50originates from or is there a specific reason why you've chosen these names? Yes, so Cape porcupines
04:58are native to South and Central Africa and so we've chosen African-inspired names and with beautiful
05:05meanings as well. The keepers on the primate section which look after the porcupines have managed to
05:12narrow it down to four names and but we've had no clear winner so far to choose the final outcome.
05:21Yeah, so we've got four names so can you run me through them and you said that they have really
05:25lovely meanings behind them so if you run me through the names and what they mean maybe it can help
05:29people choose the one that they like the best? Yes, so we've got labelli which means sunshine,
05:37we've got phila which means to live, we've got ajabu which means wonderful and we've got yodotti which means podge.
05:48Wow, they certainly sound lovely. Is there a favourite amongst the keepers then that you all like in particular?
05:53We all started with about 20 names and so we've managed to narrow it down to these four and because
06:02of their meanings. So what's the next steps for the porcupine then once it's got its name and
06:10maybe in a month's time what will its life look like then? So they grow incredibly quickly
06:18and they can be up to 35 pounds and he's already doubled in size and just within one month and
06:27so hopefully he'll continue to grow healthily and they stopped nursing around two to three months and
06:33so he's on track for that already and mainly eating solids already and we've actually got one of his quills here
06:41so this is his quill at the moment, absolutely tiny and actually got one from mum. Wow.
06:49So this is what he grows to be hopefully. Wow, that's amazing. So he's got a lot of growing to do then?
06:57He does indeed, yes. Fabulous and I was reading that they're nocturnal animals
07:02so if people want to go down and visit him what would be the best time for them to do that?
07:08So these guys come out in the afternoon and sort of between dusky and I mean now it's hopefully
07:16it's summer but when the later months when he's older and he will be starting to explore more
07:22and it obviously it'll get darker sooner which means he'll come out more time in the afternoon.
07:27Excellent and so how many of the porcupines do you have left? I'm assuming porcupette is the
07:34name for the baby ones. So how many do you have all together then and how many people
07:40or how many porcupines will people see when they go down to visit?
07:42Yeah, so we've got mum and dad which her name is Umlilo and the dad's name is Tiambe and they're
07:55both five years old and their most recent daughter her name is Amale and obviously as I said she's six
08:02months old and then obviously we've got the new baby as well. So four in total.
08:06Well thank you so much for joining I'm sure it'll be an incredible journey and we'll have lots of
08:12people visiting for sure. Hopefully. Now don't forget you can keep up to date with all the latest
08:21stories across Kent by logging on to our website kmtv.co.uk. There you'll find all our reports including this one.
08:27Spring has brought an unexpected splash of colour and wonder to the Royal Military Canal. Among the
08:38quiet reflections and budding greenery a rare and beautiful pair of mandarin ducks have made a
08:44surprise appearance and their courtship has been turning heads. The sighting has thrilled both seasoned
08:50burr watchers and casual walkers alike with their exotic good looks and delicate behaviour these ducks seem to
08:57seem almost too magical for the English countryside. They originate from East Asia and were introduced
09:05to the UK in the early 20th century but the sightings of a mating pair are still considered rare.
09:13The male is unmistakable and together they cut a regal figure. A scene that looks more like a brush
09:20stroke from a Chinese silk painting. Locals have already begun keeping a hopeful eye on the pair
09:35and watching for signs of nesting. If all goes well this unexpected romance may result in a clutch of
09:41ducklings. Kerry King, Hive Canal. Well as June is set to start at the end of the week it means the end
09:49to no mow may. Over the month the movement encourages people to ditch the lawn mower and let the green
09:55spaces grow for the four weeks. It aims to help wildlife grow freely which and wildflowers to provide vital
10:03food for bees and butterflies. But even though the movement will be setting to stop this week it means
10:10the week will be leading us to let it bloom June which also encourages people to leave wild patches to
10:15help our nature. Well let's take a look at a creature that can be found in your gardens or parks. These
10:21common beetles can be found throughout the country. The iconic red and black backs can help them stand out
10:28along nettles and undergrowth and they spend their time in the gardens. Well have you guessed it?
10:33If not let's take a look at this week's creature feature. If you happen to take a wilderness stroll
10:39this summer you may find this week's creature nestled within the nettles. The UK has around 4,000
10:44species of beetle, 47 of them are different types of ladybirds and the most common one you'll find is
10:50the iconic seven spot ladybird. As with butterflies ladybirds have a four stage life cycle,
10:56the egg, larva, pupa and adult stages and can live up to three years of age. On average ladybirds grow
11:03between one millimeter and 10 millimeters in size. Out of the 47 species of ladybird, 20 of them are
11:09smaller than three millimeters and are darker in color so often go unrecognized as ladybirds.
11:15Many gardeners and farmers welcome ladybirds on their crops as they eat aphids and help to move
11:20dung to pollinate plants. The hardyquin ladybird is an invasive non-native species to the UK.
11:26They originated in Asia but became a commonly seen species around the UK in 2004. The easiest way
11:32to tell harlequins apart from the typical ladybird is their brown legs. That's all for this week's
11:37creature feature. That was Rebecca Chapman there bringing us this week's creature feature but now
11:43it's time for a break which after we'll hear the benefits of having therapy ducks
11:47and we'll talk to the experts about the importance of biodiversity. All that and more we'll see you soon.
12:00We'll see you soon.
12:02We'll see you soon.
12:30We'll see you soon.
12:32Bye.
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14:30Bye.
15:00Hello and welcome back to Kenton Climate Live on KMTV. First up a solar panel farm near Sittingbourne
15:10owned by Kent Community Energy is under development to increase protection for wildlife. On top of the
15:17supplying clean energy and cheap energy to over 1,700 homes Kent Community Energy is keen to use their
15:24land to boost biodiversity too. The group have an improvement plan and budget that has been grant funded by Power to Change. Their plans include adding
15:34boxes for owls and small mammals as well as ensuring there will be a habitable environment for birds. It is
15:41anticipated that the project will generate around £2 million of community benefit funds which will be used to
15:50support sustainable energy initiatives across the country.
15:53Now in the UK we have seen an increase in therapy animals. There are more than 6,000 dogs working as therapy
16:00animals in the UK helping people in various ways. But here in Kent we have a collection of therapy ducks from
16:08historical reenactments to a variety of charity work. Mark Collier and his three therapy ducks are often seen spreading
16:15joy around Kent. Italy Reynolds has more. Animals can be a big part of many people's lives. Whether that's
16:22a beloved pet or a therapy animal. In the UK there are over 6,000 dogs currently working as therapy
16:32dogs. They range anything from a medical alert dog, a guide dog or to just be there to help with mental
16:39health. But here in Kent we have something a little different. Therapy ducks. I came down to speak to Mark to
16:47find out more about the ducks just like Pinky here. Mark has a total of 19 ducks and I spoke to him to get
16:54to know a little bit more about what the ducks do. I do meet and greet therapy ducks. My very first duck
17:01was dog. I hatched him out nearly six years ago now. My main therapy ducks, I do an awful lot of work with
17:09um charity. We go raising money for charities. Mark and the ducks travel to all manner of events from
17:22historical reenactments to the local high streets to bring joy to those around. After attending so
17:28many events Mark has many amazing stories about how his ducks have helped individuals. When I was at
17:34Mitchum Priory three years ago with dog we met Lorna a 14 year old girl blind from birth. She felt his
17:43beak every single feather on his body, his legs, his feet and in the photograph my eyes actually
17:53streaming and Lorna was saying thank you so much I now know what a duck looks like and feels like.
17:59With an interesting but incredibly cute way to bring joy,
18:02I wanted to know why Mark does what he does. I just want to make people smile these are very hard
18:08dark times but if I can make people smile I have a really good day I get home at night and I've had
18:14a really good day I'm buzzing. With such incredible work I was left with one more question. How does one
18:22acquire so many ducks? Now I do rescue a lot of birds every year. When people it comes on Facebook like
18:28oh Mark there's a bird I normally say what's your postcode and when they send me their postcode
18:35they say oh when can you come like well I'm on my way now. I'll do it all free of charge. I rescued
18:41from Hempcid a mallard female and nine little little ducklings and the gentleman goes oh how much do you
18:48want for donations? Nothing I said no no no I said join me on Facebook and every day I will keep you
18:57updated on their progress. After spending some time with the ducks and feeding them peas I can certainly
19:04see why these animals in particular can be a great way to help people whether that be physical or mental
19:10health. Etelie Reynolds for KMTV. Now last Thursday marked International Biodiversity Day we were joined
19:22by Paul Whitfield from the Wildwood Trust in Hearn on the Kent Morning Show to tell us a bit more about
19:27the conservation work they do here in the county. Biodiversity is well it's what keeps the planet alive
19:34you know it's the food that we eat it's the air that we breathe it's the water that we drink it's
19:38it's the fundamental to to life on earth that that's its fundamental value but also particularly
19:45somewhere like here in Kent we've got such beautiful countryside and that really is the heart of
19:51biodiversity here. And we've been seeing over the years obviously the loss of biodiversity and what are
19:58some of the things causing this what are the issues that we are facing? I mean it's been a very long
20:04term sort of problem sort of problem I mean over the past sort of 50 years we've we've lost a huge
20:09number of our native species and it's just become worse and worse and it's it's down to human development
20:17industrial farming and loss of habitat and and a lot of the ways that we've tried to look after nature and
20:24manage nature um has not been very successful. So what can we do to improve biodiversity in Kent?
20:34It seems all these issues that's so big it's so difficult to tackle what can we as individuals
20:40actually do to make our little patch of Kent more more biodiverse? Yeah absolutely it's a really good
20:47question I mean while we're trust you know we we exist purely as a native species conservation charity
20:54you know really focusing on our our native wildlife that we've lost and and trying to bring it back
20:59we've we've currently got 12 active native species projects across the UK you know breeding animals in
21:07captivity for release uh the bison project in Kent's been a really iconic project here and really the bison
21:14are out in the woodlands making it a a more biodiverse and bioabundant space creating lots
21:19of space for nature so that we can bring things back like the red squirrels and the pine martins which
21:25are missing. Explain to me so I understand that bison you played a really important role of that when
21:31you go um to wildwood there's actually a platform that you can look out to where they are and hope to
21:35see them but can you just explain to us a bit more about bison because obviously um correct me if I'm wrong
21:41but I believe they're a keystone species so they're actually making way for like you said for those
21:45other animals to come back can you just explain how they do that and why they play such an important
21:49role in the Blean wood? Yeah absolutely I mean what's missing from a lot of our landscape are the large
21:56herbivores that we would have we would have had in the wild so we used to have aurochs which are these
22:02giant wild cows we used to have a species of bison we used to have european elk and wild horses and wild
22:09boar and those species by living in our woodlands and our wild spaces would have made them far more
22:15complex and far more biodiverse by putting in place lots of natural systems so bison moving through
22:22the woods sort of knocking down trees creating space for light for natural regeneration of trees
22:27dropping their dung along the paths that they leave which is providing food for insects and fungi and
22:35effectively what they're doing is they're rebuilding the the the ecosystem services and the
22:42the complex systems that exist within nature that we've that we've lost by denuding ourselves of these
22:47species so the the dung forms food for all sorts of creatures it rebuilds the food web and so just
22:54by putting one or two of these animals back in a space you actually create food and niches for 100 of the
23:00species to thrive you know nature needs complexity to thrive and when we try and manage things as
23:06humans we do in a very tidy and neat way and actually what we really need is things like bison charging
23:12through the woodlands doing it in a very complicated and dynamic way and that's what really gives the
23:17boost for native species and there are challenges with this i imagine because bringing a big species back
23:24like the bison but also these other smaller species as well i can imagine there's a lot of ground work
23:30that needs to be covered to get to the stage we can bring them back into the wild and back here to
23:35kent because as you said before they're not they haven't been here for a long long time
23:41yeah absolutely the amount of work that goes into these projects is enormous so so we've got the
23:46very successful red bill chuff for introduction in dover um we'll be doing our third year of releases um
23:52hopefully in the next few weeks um but that's a that's a project that's been sort of five years
23:57in the making of all the background work the science the research you know getting hold of the right
24:02birds then breeding them building the you know the release avery down and over it's been it's been a
24:07huge amount of work and it's taken a really dedicated team years to get us to this point but
24:12hopefully you know we'll have a very successful wild population of of red chefs back here you know very
24:18shortly um and then it's how do we how do we replicate that how do we take that success and
24:23do it in in other places to bring these species back on a on a large scale on a landscape scale
24:28across the country it's time to catch up with all the latest nature news from around the county it's
24:33time for this week's climate roundup the petition has launched with the aim of protecting a hundred year
24:39old oak tree on christmas lane near high halstow the centenarian oat is under threat from a nearby
24:46development that may require road widening works red row homes who are behind the development say
24:51they wouldn't remove any trees without the permission of the medway council independent
24:56councillor michael pierce is leading the petition and is calling on the local authority to give all
25:00trees over a hundred years old a tree protection order the petition was launched on the 13th of may
25:06and has already gained almost 3 000 signatures charlotte dean a tent horticulturalist says she is
25:12absolutely buzzing after handing some seeds to kin charles at the chelsea flower show the kin visited
25:17her exhibit and received a bag of specially selected tent wildflower seeds the kind is a known gardener
25:23and has seen success with his coronation meadows project which saw 101 new wildflower meadows created
25:29or restored since 2012 so a packet of wildflower seeds is a fitting gift for him dean's display wasn't
25:35just graced with a royal visit it also received the flower show's gold medal in a statement dean said
25:41we are so thrilled that the judges enjoyed our steam which seamlessly integrated wildflowers into
25:47a traditional cottage garden display and finally a no swim warning was issued at sand gate over the
25:53weekend after sewage from a southern water pipe began leaking onto the beach from a storm drain
25:59southern water has been on site and said the sewage leak stems from a nearby sewer and that they are
26:04confident that wastewater has not entered the sea mitigation works began over the weekend with the goal
26:10of blocking up the storm drain and removing the build-up of water with tantas under the oversight
26:15of the environmental agency despite this hopes are high that the beach will maintain its excellent
26:20water quality rating though people are still advised not to swim until these works are complete
26:24and the sewage is cleaned up that's all for this week's climate roundup that's all we have time for
26:30this week's episode of kenton climate we'll be back next week with another episode discussing more
26:35matters relevant to environmental issues in the county in the meantime you can keep up to date with all
26:40things climate related by visiting our website kmtv.co.uk but from me and the team have a very lovely
26:46evening and goodbye