Kentish Milkwort Population Increases Sevenfold

Why this is here: Conservation efforts have resulted in 1,245 Kentish milkwort plants at Queendown Warren, marking the largest known population of this species in the United Kingdom.

Kent Wildlife Trust reports a sevenfold increase in the Kentish milkwort population at Queendown Warren, near Sittingbourne in Kent, England. The rare plant faced near extinction in 2013, dwindling to a few plants across three sites. Conservationists from Kent Wildlife Trust, The Species Recovery Trust, and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew partnered with local volunteers to save it.

They cultivated seeds collected from the strongest population at Kew, establishing a seed stock for future restoration. Between 2018 and 2019, they reintroduced plants, resulting in 1,245 self-sown Kentish milkwort plants recorded this year—the largest UK population.

The project now focuses on maintaining the open grassland habitat the plant needs. They plan to use pigs to disturb the ground and further introduce the species to other chalk grassland sites. While the population is growing, the trust acknowledges continued work is needed to secure the plant’s long-term survival.