Dean House

About Dean House

The garden at Dean House extends into a field of approximately 5 acres of former farmland. In May 2021, a breeding colony of Great Crested Newts was discovered in the small garden pond. Great Crested Newt populations have suffered in recent years through loss of habitat caused by housing development. The Romney Marsh Countryside Partnership (RMCP) put a proposal for the site together featuring 2 large natural ponds together with creation of native woodland. RMCP’s proposals built on existing dense hedgerow on the site which attracts nesting birds
Funding for the ponds was granted by Natural England and they were excavated in December 2021. Thanks to a MOREwoods grant from the Woodland Trust the site has also been planted with native trees and shrubs.
The Bumblebee Conservation Trust has been of considerable assistance in helping to create wildflower areas thereby providing further food sources for bees and other pollinators.
There is a small population of the red-listed tree sparrow on Romney Marsh. In early 2023 nest boxes were installed on the site by members of the East Kent Wildlife Group in the hope of attracting breeding pairs. 21 tree sparrows successfully fledged in 2023 thanks to the boxes together with 33 blue tits and 6 great tits. It is hoped further boxes will be added in 2024. The site provides good habitat for several red-listed birds including skylarks, house sparrows, starlings and yellowhammer.
While it will take time for the area to establish, this is an opportunity to see a re-wilding project in its infancy.