our story
Chalk to Coast is at an exciting development stage, join us for the journey…
Chalk to Coast is a farmer and landholder-led nature recovery corridor, spanning 1,300 km² from the Kent Downs National Landscape to the Thames and Swale estuaries.
It was conceptualised and is led by four Founding Partners, three of whom also lead the North Kent Downs, Hoo Peninsula and Swale Farmer Clusters operating within the corridor - existing relationships that make on-the-ground delivery possible.
We aim to help farmers unlock new income streams through delivering nature recovery work — creating lasting benefit for both community and nature.
Chalk to Coast was registered as a Community Interest Company (CIC) in January 2026 to ensure transparent, accountable governance.
TIMELINE
2024 - Initial concept & formation of founding partners
2025 - Launch, building network & landholder engagement
2026 - Community Interest Company (CIC) registration, governance & 10 Year business plan
2026 - Developing Ecological Vision & Natural Capital Assessment for the Corridor
2026 - Establishment of a North Kent Water Partnership
the farmer clusters
Farming the land, feeding the country, restoring nature on the ground.
Hoo Peninsula Cluster
Facilitated by independent ecologist Carol Donaldson, it brings together 30 farmers across one of the corridor's most ecologically distinctive landscapes — a mosaic of marshland, ancient woodland and wetland bordering the Thames & Medway Estuaries.
The peninsula is a national stronghold for nightingale, holding the largest nightingale population in the UK; and its estuarine fringes support internationally important numbers of breeding, wintering and migratory waders and wildfowl.
The cluster is already very active on the ground, including through Whose Hoo, a National Lottery Heritage Fund scheme (2025–2029) restoring hedgerows, woodland and wetland habitats while reconnecting local communities with the peninsula's heritage.
North Kent Downs Cluster
The newest of the three clusters, currently bringing together 15 members, many of whom are also partners of the North Kent Woods and Downs National Nature Reserve.
The cluster spans some of Kent's most biodiverse landscapes — including SSSI chalk grassland, ancient beech and yew woodland, and chalk streams. It also surrounds the River Medway, which remains tidal and estuarine as far inland as Maidstone, its floodplain and grazing marsh forming a direct link between the chalk ridge and the wider estuarine corridor.
The cluster is also anchoring a new North Kent Downs Water Partnership, addressing the area's chalk aquifer recharge and drinking water resilience as the region faces significant pressure from new housing growth.
Early priorities include projects focused on the chalk escarpment's species-rich grassland, arable margins and scrub mosaics for nightingale, alongside ancient woodland and hedgerow connectivity for hazel dormice.
Swale Cluster
This cluster farms and manages land across one of the most internationally significant wetland landscapes in Northern Europe — anchored by The Swale SSSI and SPA, which together with the adjoining Medway Estuary and Marshes SSSI, SPA and Ramsar site cover more than 11,000 hectares of mudflats, saltmarsh and grazing marsh.
The cluster area covers the Isle of Sheppey, and the wider Swale coastline between Sittingbourne and Faversham - a priority area for expanding breeding lapwing, a species that has declined 63% nationally since the 1960s, alongside one of England's last strongholds of the shrill carder bee, the country's most threatened bumblebee.
founding partners
Guy Nevill
Guy is the Owner and Steward of Birling Estate, lead farmer of the North Kent Downs Cluster, and the instigator of Chalk to Coast. Birling Estate has been in Guy's family for nearly 600 years. Throughout his tenure as Steward, Guy's deep commitment to conservation, sustainability and innovation has driven impactful nature restoration results across the estate. He envisions Birling as 'a place where people, nature and enterprise flourish in harmony'. He has focused on implementing regenerative land management practices and fostering meaningful connections between people and nature, with an increasing focus on corporate clients and their teams. Guy also founded Badgells Wood, an off-grid eco-campsite designed to encourage families and children to explore and reconnect with the simplicity of nature, he aims to nurture a love for the natural world in the next generation of leaders, ensuring they grow up with a sense of responsibility toward environmental stewardship.
Previously, Guy was a Senior Partner at a leading environmental engineering firm. For two decades, he collaborated with renowned architects and forward-thinking clients - such as the National Trust and the Woodland Trust - to design sustainable exemplar projects. He was also the Director responsible for Research & Innovation, Communications and Social Engagement.
He is happiest on the sea, in the mountains or wandering the woods.
Marian Boswall
A leading landscape architect and horticulturalist, Marian is known for her thoughtful and regenerative design approach. From flood plain restoration to historic estate masterplans and soulful gardens; respect for the ecology, history and future inform her designs, from the soil, to the gut, to the spirit.
Marian writes and speaks on sustainable design and was a lecturer in Historic Garden Conservation. A Fellow of the Landscape Institute, her projects invest in the land for the very long term. Kindness is a deeply embedded ethos. Marian works with the way the land can heal and connect us on all levels. Her 2019 TedX talk was on how our gardens can care for us and the earth, and her book Sustainable Garden was shortlisted for Garden Book of the Year. She has won many awards but is most interested in the long term legacy of her work.
Marian has a Masters in landscape architecture from Greenwich, a Masters in Modern Languages from Oxford and is an agroecology coach. Her first career was management consultancy. She loves sunrises, wild creatures, wild swimming and remote ski touring.
Gareth Fulton
Gareth Fulton is lead farmer of the Swale Cluster, and the Reserve Manager and Director at the pioneering Elmley Nature Reserve, the only family owned and managed farm in the UK to be designated as a National Nature Reserve.
With a background in the British Army and training in Physical Geography, Gareth brings a unique blend of discipline and environmental insight to his role. In 2013, he and his wife, Georgina, moved to Elmley to continue her parents' legacy of harmonising farming and conservation. Under their stewardship, Elmley has diversified its operations, integrating sustainable agriculture with eco-tourism initiatives. Gareth is passionate about maintaining the balance between productive farming and wildlife conservation, ensuring that Elmley remains a vibrant habitat for diverse species while contributing to the local economy.
Tom Gore
A 4th generation farmer from Rochester and lead farmer of the Hoo Peninsula Cluster. Tom is the Managing Partner of DG&JW Gore. A modern mixed farming enterprise, growing arable crops based around milling wheat, 200 suckler cows, hay sales, stewardship and diversification. The farm incorporates owned, tenanted and CFA land.
He has a passion for farming, food production and the countryside.
Tom has a Degree in Agriculture from Reading University, is Chairman of his local NFU and sits on the South East Advisory board for the NFU Mutual.