Kent Ornithological Society 
Steve Weeks, Area Manager for KWT, writes:-
‘At Oare Marshes we are taking advantage of the unusually dry conditions to carry out some rotational ditch cleaning.
The drying of the East Flood means there are less birds present, so the work will cause less disturbance than under normal conditions. The ditches at Oare support a diverse range of wildlife, including nationally important aquatic plants and invertebrates. Rotational de-silting is necessary to provide a range of successional stages from open water through to heavily vegetated ditches and ultimately to prevent the loss of the ditches through natural sedimentation. The work also allows for better movement of water through the reserve, helping us to manage the levels more effectively
We will also be partially de-silting the old drainage channel that runs through the East Flood to see if we can use the spoil to build up the chain of small islands that used to run perpendicular from the roadside viewing point. I suspect the material maybe too soft to provide any long-lasting features but given the dry conditions, it is worth experimenting with.
We will also be carrying out improvements to several of the gateways on the west side to prevent them becoming too churned up by the cattle. This will involve laying chalk in the worst areas to form a better surface. We will be storing the chalk in the cattle carrel by the Watch House until the work begins.
In October we hope work will be starting on a project in partnership with the RSPB and funded by the Green Recovery Challenge Fund. This work will involve re-profiling the old remnant salt marsh channels in the Peasant Farm fields to retain wet patches and muddy margins longer into the spring. The maximum depth of the new channels would be 300mm with shallow profile edges, suitable for wader chicks to feed. This depth is planned to allow surface water to persist into the early summer, giving the best conditions for breeding waders. The channels will be left "blind", so not connected to the drainage ditch network, allowing winter rainfall to collect and add value for wintering wildfowl and waders.’