Coastal Wardens

The volunteer Coastal Warden(/Guardian Scheme) enables people over 17 years old to ‘adopt’ their local bay or stretch of coast along the North East Kent Marine Protected Area (NEKMPA), and help safeguard the coastal environment – including its designated marine and bird life – for future generations. Volunteers receive free training and once completed become the ‘eyes and ears’ of their chosen bay.

Become a Coastal Warden

Free training is available for volunteers to become more knowledgeable about their coastline – specifically looking out for local wildlife, monitoring for coastal activities and reporting incidents, along with opportunities for further practical or educational work.

Coastal Wardens help by surveying activities and reporting incidents in their patch to help inform future management of the NEKMPA, after which volunteers can get involved with as much or as little as they choose. More information: download the Become a Warden leaflet (pdf 193kb)

In 2017-20, the Guardians of the Deep partnership project with support from the HLF ran a 3-year initiative which included developing and extending the volunteer scheme further around the Kent coast – to make sure it included the coast from Seasalter-Whitstable-Herne Bay-Reculver coastline, right round to Sandwich Bay to Deal pier.

How to register

If you would like to volunteer your time please complete the complete an online registration form (If you have trouble online, please download the Volunteer Registration Form – PDF, 420KB – & complete and email to us at: thanet.coast@thanet.gov.uk)

We will then invite you to register to attend the next introductory training session for volunteer Coastal Wardens in NE Kent.

The next introductory training session is still to be confirmed – see What’s On.

Thanet Coastal Wardens – what they get up to!

This short video will give you an insight into what Coastal Wardens have got up to in the past – shown as part of the Annual Forum, 2008)