Every decade since the war, an area of countryside the size of greater London has been lost to development. At the same time many of our towns have become rundown as people move out, and volumes of traffic have soared as we commute longer and longer distances.

It's not just pollution and congestion- traffic has risen faster on rural roads than anywhere else, bringing noise and disturbance to quiet areas, and threatening the safety of those who wish to walk, cycle or ride along country lanes.

CPRE has been fighting to protect the environment of rural England for most of the last century. The existence of greenbelts, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and the survival of hedges owe much to our work. Every year we resist hundreds of damaging developments, and no other national organisation can match our record in protecting the countryside.

We believe that with care and foresight, it is perfectly possible to protect and enhance the countryside whilst ensuring that our quality of life improves.

Too much change in the countryside is for the worse. We have to go on fighting to keep Kent green and encourage change for the better. So please join us and support our work. As a member you will receive:-

· Membership magazines, from the national office and from the Kent branch;
Half-price entry into a number of England's finest historic houses and gardens;
The chance to find out about developments in Kent, and receive information about local events.