Chalk grassland management Surrey Countryside Partnership

The Surrey Countryside Partnership secured £19,759.80 to purchase a remote-controlled mower, enabling the safe and effective management of steep slopes, banks, and hard to access areas across multiple chalk grassland sites in the Surrey Hills. 

Many of the sites managed by the Partnership and its volunteers are too steep or hazardous for manual scrub clearance. The remote-controlled mower provides a practical, low impact solution, specifically designed to operate safely on challenging terrain while reducing risk to volunteers. 

Chalk grassland is a nationally important habitat that has been declining due to scrub encroachment and a lack of regular management. Targeted scrub control is therefore essential to prevent further habitat loss. This project will help restore and maintain high quality chalk grassland, benefiting specialist species such as the Brown Hairstreak butterfly and the Silver-spotted Skipper.