Jumping Downs was used for motorbike scrambling from the 1920s until August 2000, when a grazing regime was established. The site is a hillside of south-facing chalk downland, with light wooded areas on upper slopes and grassland on lower slopes. The steeper chalky slopes are rich in wild flowers, herbs and orchids which are particularly colourful during May, June and July, and are well populated by butterflies. The area is used by a wide variety of grassland and woodland birds. It is bounded by a public bridleway to the south and by the Elham Valley Way to the east.

In June 2003 the site was officially launched as a new Local Nature Reserve and work continues to organise events, surveys and children's activities.