Our History & Purpose

How we make a difference

WKPS promotes the careful stewardship of our shared natural capital and characterful landscape, by focusing on 3 core areas:

Connect

We recognise there is much benefit in connecting people with their local environment and to each other. This is achieved through education and joint activity, bringing about positive and lasting environmental, behavioural and attitudinal change for the Weald. WKPS hosts a number of events throughout the year to engage with local residents and help them to discover and appreciate the nature on their doorstep.

Protect

We work to protect the habitats and unique character of the Weald by encouraging the protection and enhancement of the landscape, and supporting aligned projects and organisations. Where applicable we submit comments on planning applications to the Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) with the aim of mitigating the impact of developments on the landscape. We promote activities that arouse and inform public opinion and debate on climate, nature and environment.

Respect

We seek to value, honour and celebrate our rich local heritage – past, present and future – by championing, highlighting and supporting all efforts being made across the region to ensure a sustainable future for the Weald. Some of this is achieved as a result of partnering with other like-minded organisations to share knowledge, resources and action.

Support WKPS - JOIN TODAY

Protect our Wealden landscape & heritage from being destroyed and forgotten. Become a WKPS member to help us connect with and engage people to build the respect our wonderful Weald needs, to ensure its protection for future generations – before it’s too late.

A very brief history

Weald of Kent Protection Society (WKPS) is a non-political environmental pressure group formed in 1960 when the Weald started to come under pressure from changing farming practices, the loss of listed buildings without consultation, and the push of industry into the countryside.

Those challenges have morphed to some degree over time and have been added to through climate change, unsympathetic development, biodiversity collapse and the loss of interest in or appreciation of place.