Management Plans & Public Enjoyment Plan

Ecological Management Plans

The Conservators’ goal is to manage the Commons for the benefit of local people whilst creating and maintaining a wide variety of habitats to sustain and encourage wildlife of all types, both common and rare.

Since 1991 we have been following the recommendations of a series of long-term Ecological Management Plans produced in 1991, 2005 and 2016/7.

In late 2022, we enlisted the help of Kate Ryland, a fantastic consultant ecologist to help produce new Ecological Management Plans for Tunbridge Wells and Rusthall Commons. The overall objectives of management for biodiversity on the Commons is:

• To promote and maintain a biodiverse habitat mosaic of structurally complex vegetation.
• To meet the resource and habitat requirements of rare, protected and declining species of fauna and flora on the Commons.

The main purpose of the new five-year Ecological Management Plans were to set out the broad actions needed to meet these objectives. The management recommendations include essential regular and annual tasks as well as larger projects that may extend over a period of years.

Kate started by researching and investigating all of the existing literature, records and information about the Commons. She then made vital recommendations for prioritising ecological survey work to better understand our habitats and the species that call the Commons their home. The final part of the puzzle involved collating all of this information and making recommendations that cover the management of grassland, heathland, invasive non-native species, woodland, special trees, ash dieback, road verges and the path network, ponds, ditches and streams and sandrocks.

The Plans are fascinating documents to read and provide complete clarity on the direction that our work should take, but don’t take our word for it, please do read for yourselves:

Tunbridge Wells Common Ecological Management Plan 2024-28

Rusthall Common Ecological Management Plan 2024-28

Supporting Documents

• Tunbridge Wells and Rusthall Common Background Data Review (2022)
• Tunbridge Wells and Rusthall Commons Management Plan. (2016/2017)
• KHWP report on habitat management 2016
• Calumma Ecological Services pond report 2016
• Rocks Report 2016
• Detailed maps of the Commons showing grass management regime and location of notable trees
• Habitat Surveys and Maps 1992 and 2003 – 2005

Public Enjoyment Plan

We have been very busy collecting data and creating our first Public Enjoyment Plan, which focuses on the following objectives:

•  Engaging with our community to find out more about their existing use and enjoyment of the Commons and how this can be improved.  
• Promoting recreation and well-being. 
• Providing excellent communication to keep our community better informed.
• Supporting environmental education, awareness and stewardship. 
• Making user experience as safe and nuisance-free as is reasonably possible, given that it is a freely accessible green space.
• Striving for better physical and social accessibility. 

The Plan is in draft form but we’re still excited to share our thoughts and ideas with you, so have a read and let us know what you think.

DRAFT Public Enjoyment Plan 2025