 Many ragstone quarries have been abandoned and backfilled once exhausted.When Ditton Quarry closed down in 1984, quarrying operations had left behind a legacy of a lime-rich soil which formed the foundation of a thriving habitat for plants and wildlife; 140 wildflowers (including five that are rare in Kent), 18 butterfly species, and 50 bird species have been recorded.It is also home to foxes, rabbits, frogs, toads and newts.