Category: Board

The Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) welcomes the news that recovery of nature in England’s National Parks and AONBs is to be accelerated through a package of measures, including new legislation through the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill.

Read Defra’s press release here and Thérèse Coffey’s full written statement here.

A huge thank you to Laurence and Paula at Manor Farm for hosting our Partnership Tour on Thursday 27 July. It was a fantastic opportunity for our partners to hear about the challenges and opportunities faced by farmers in the Surrey Hills. The day also included a visit to the 4km of hedgerow planted by volunteers and a herd of the Belted Galloway cattle wearing the no-fence collars for conservation grazing both funded through our Farming in Protected Landscapes programme.

Natural England Press Release:

• Heathland Connections Nature Recovery Project, covering 16,000 hectares, will create wildlife-rich habitats, improve climate security, and offer opportunities for the local communities
• Project part of six nature recovery projects launched, backed by £7.4 million funding, to support government target to halt and then reverse the decline in nature
• Rare Natterjack toads set to be first species to benefit, along with habitats that are home to rare, bird, reptile, dragonfly and plant species

An area bigger than the size of Hertfordshire is to be dedicated to fast tracking nature recovery, as six new landscape-scale nature recovery projects are launched by Natural England and the government.

The Heathlands Connections in Surrey is one of the six Nature Recovery Projects supported by £7.4 million funding from Defra and Natural England. It is a new, ambitious project working with partners to enhance, restore and connect the special habitats found in the western most section of the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) landscape.

This project will connect designated sites, such as Thursley, Hankley and Frensham Commons SPA, with surrounding heathlands, owned by partners who are keen to work more closely together. Collectively, the project will find innovative solutions to management challenges such as habitat degradation, disturbance to ground nesting birds, and the emerging threat of more frequent and more devastating wildfires.

The Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) currently sees approximately 30 million visitors annually due to its proximity to London and other significant urban areas. This project will produce and deliver a ‘gold standard’ sustainable recreation plan to encourage those visiting the landscape to use active travel, improve access and therefore create a better connection to nature.

Funded by Natural England and led by the Heathland Connections partnership, the project aims to restore natural processes and make the landscape more resilient. These unique habitats are hotspots for important, and rare, bird, reptile, dragonfly and plant species and are an iconic landscape for the local community to enjoy.

Allison Potts, Thames Solent Area Manager, Natural England said:

“We’re really excited to launch our Nature Recovery Project here across the iconic heathland of West Surrey, a rare and important landscape and habitat.

“This project is all about connections. It’s connecting the heathlands together, so they have a more certain future. It also connects the landscape with the people that live or visit here; connecting partners that work here to achieve a bigger impact together and connecting in the exciting, new ways to fund biodiversity and green infrastructure improvements. Doing so will help us achieve ambitious nature recovery progress in a place that matters for people and wildlife.”

 

Matt Cusack, Lead Ranger, Natural Trust said:

“Heathlands are home to some of our most precious plants and wildlife, and we need to do everything we can to not only protect them but give them the best chance of recovering. We’re excited to be working alongside these partners to help achieve that.”

 

Rob Fairbanks, Director, Surrey Hills National Landscape said:

“Heathland Connections will help us really engage with the local community and visitors on the importance of thriving with nature. The better connected they feel to the landscape and the nature with in it, the better chance we have to safeguard and enhance it for generations to come.”

The project will empower local communities, generating long-term sustainable funding opportunities while providing sustainable recreation that improves peoples’ health and wellbeing as well as their understanding and appreciation of this unique landscape.

The six multi-partnership collaborative projects covering 176,000 hectares of land across England – from the Tees Estuary to the South Downs – will create improved and better-connected habitats for wildlife and improve public access to nature. The projects will strengthen the national Nature Recovery Network and showcase delivering nature recovery at scale.

All the projects, announced today (20 July), will help to manage flooding and wildfire risks, improve carbon stores and build diverse habitats for wildlife such as the endangered wart biter cricket and the elusive twite.

 

Notes:

• Partners in the Heathland Connections project include National Trust, The Surrey Hills board, Surrey County Council, Waverley Borough Council, Surrey Wildlife Trust, RSPB, MOD, Forestry England and Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust (ARC).
• The Nature Recovery Projects will make a major contribution to the Nature Recovery Network and help deliver on the commitments set out in the government’s Environmental Improvement Plan to halt the decline in nature and support thriving plants and wildlife.
• This announcement builds on the G7 legacy project in Cornwall and the five Nature Recovery Projects launched in 2022 which are improving and connecting wildlife rich sites and restoring degraded areas for nature across the West Midlands, the Peak District, Somerset, Norfolk and Cambridge. The new projects extend this landmark commitment across the country to include uplands, coastal and marine areas, and will demonstrate how blended public and private finance can support the Nature Recovery Network. The funding will support the twelve projects across the three-year period of the comprehensive spending review.
• Improving and connecting existing strongholds for wildlife, creating new habitats and investing in collaborative action for nature at scale will help achieve our pledge to protect 30% of our land and sea for nature by 2030, and create a sustainable future for people and the planet.

 

Other projects across England include:

• East of Eden, Cumbria – Based in the upland regions of Cumbria, this project stretches over 100,000ha from fertile farmland of the eastern Eden Valley to the western slopes of the North Pennines and the moorlands above. The project will support land managers to create habitats for species such as the curlew, black grouse and the Teesdale Violet. Natural flood management techniques will reduce flood risk and improve the absorption of carbon by rewetting peat.
• The Lost Wetlands, Cheshire to Lancashire – Extending over 5,000ha the project will reclaim, restore and rewet a mosaic of wetland habitats in South Greater Manchester and North Cheshire, previously lost to historic industrialisation, urbanisation and agricultural intensification of the landscape. A network of wetland habitats will be restored to improve connectivity for wildlife, creating habitats where dragonflies, Great Crested Newts and Water Voles can thrive. The project will also engage young people and communities, providing greater connection to the wetlands on their doorstep and opportunities to celebrate the natural heritage of the area. This work will help support the government’s commitment to bring people closer to nature, with everyone living no more than 15 minutes from a green space.
• Tees Estuary Recovering Nature, Northumbria – Covering over 11,000ha, the TERN Project will work with partners to improve, create and restore coastal, estuarine and land-based habitats. Steeped in industrial history, this area is home to a well-loved colony of Common Seals and assemblages of roosting waders and wildfowl including the little tern, wintering knot, ringed plover and redshank. Action will create bigger and better connected habitats that increase climate resilience and offer a sustainable future for these cherished species. New footpath links will also bring the community closer to nature, strengthening Teesside’s vision as a place for people and nature.
• Bradford and South Pennines, Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire – Spanning 30,000ha, this partnership will restore and enhance the condition of the upland peat landscapes in the South Pennines, restoring habitats for moorland birds such as the endangered twite. Natural Flood Management techniques will benefit communities at risk of flooding in the Calder Valley with the creation of intertwining mosaics of wetland habitats. Green corridors will also be created, linking upland sites to the urban environment and industrial heartlands and allowing wildlife to move freely. The project will work closely with community groups, and the NHS, providing opportunities to connect the people of Bradford and West Yorkshire with nature on their doorstep. Working with Bradford City of Culture 2025, the project will encourage sustainable access to nature and highlight the environmental links between the industrial heartlands of West Yorkshire and the moors which define them.
• Seaford to Eastbourne, Sussex and Kent – Traversing 12,000 ha of the iconic land and seascape of the South Downs, the project builds on key partnerships with South East Water, local authorities, farmers and fishers. The project will build on research into chalk aquifers in the area which confirms the importance of using healthy chalk grass and chalk heath habitats to deliver clean and plentiful water. The work to integrate habitat and natural flood management schemes will create clean water supplies for nearby towns and benefit species, such as the rare Wart-biter Cricket. Ambitions further extend out to sea where the project partners will seek to boost Short Snouted Seahorse populations found near Beachy Head. The project is also researching how NHS staff who work in complex mental health can be trained in nature-based interventions, supporting the communities within Seaford to Eastbourne.

Contacts

Defra Group press office: Communications_SE@environment-agency.gov.uk / 0800 141 2743

More than 5,000 farmers and land managers have now benefited from the Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme, new figures have shown.

The programme, now in its third year, offers funding to farmers across AONBs and National Parks. Support for nature recovery and climate resilient businesses, heritage conservation and better access for people to enjoy our protected landscapes all feature in programme delivery. To date, £25 million has been allocated, and more than 2,400 projects have been approved for funding.

The new report – Farming in Protected Landscapes programme: Year 2 update – showcases projects across National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) which have benefited from the Defra funding. Examples include The Pollinator Project in North Wessex Downs AONB – a group of 20 farmers collaborating to improve the landscape for key pollinators and invertebrates; and Dalefoot Farm in the Yorkshire Dales, an area which includes SSSI designation, supporting nature recovery through the establishment of a network of hedgerows, riparian strips and trees that connect the existing ancient semi-natural woodland.

Neil Heseltine, NPE Chair and Chair of the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, said: “Our work across protected landscapes to help farmers and land owners engage with the FiPL programme shows how important partnership working and collaboration are to driving forward sustainable land management initiatives. As a farmer myself, I have seen the nature and biodiversity crisis that the country faces grows more acute. Whilst farming is often seen as one source of this crisis, it is only through harnessing farmers as partners in aspiration, that we will overcome it. The challenge is to inspire and reward farmers for delivering positive benefits for nature whilst running profitable businesses. It is therefore essential that the Government commit to embedding the principles of FiPL within the environmental land management offer beyond 2024.”

Tom Munro, Dorset AONB Manager and NAAONB Agriculture & Land Use Panel spokesperson added: “The huge successes of FIPL over the last two years has demonstrated how AONB teams are uniquely placed to facilitate on-farm projects to deliver for nature, climate, people and place across these treasured landscapes. While our pre-existing networks with farmers and advisers helped us hit the ground running, FIPL has helped us cement these relationships and to be regarded as trusted delivery bodies. These landscapes have been shaped by thousands of years of farming and it’s only by working like this at scale with farmers that we will adequately respond to the climate and ecological emergency while ensuring rural communities thrive underpinned by sustainable farm businesses.”

The report was launched today at a meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for National Parks. Attendees heard from representatives from across protected landscapes and farming community about the importance of sustainability and land management to the future of these special places, and how farmers and other land managers play a vital role in shaping the landscapes they operate within to enhance the natural and cultural heritage, improve productivity, and create more vibrant, sustainable communities.

 

Surrey Hills case study- Hampton Estate – The King’s Pond

The Hampton Estate is 2,250 acres of historic parkland, grazing meadows, arable fields, woodlands and traditional farmyards.  The funding of £12,624 was used to transform a silted-up and inaccessible pond into a feature of significant ecological and educational value. The historic old dairy pond, shown on maps at least as far back as c.1700, is located adjacent to the converted dairy farm which is now used as a hub for a variety of farm walks, school visits and open days the Estate hosts each year. These visits consist of groups of varying ability who visit the farm to learn about the countryside, agriculture and the environment. Now renamed The King’s Pond to honour the Coronation of King Charles III, the project has created:

• New wheelchair access, pathways and a platform to enable visitors to enjoy pond dipping and nature study.
• Ground works and planting to enhance existing and create new habitats to optimise the pond’s ecological function.
• Educational resources to help visitors to the pond maximise their engagement and learning from the pond.

Find out more about Surrey Hills FiPL projects here and view the full report here.

 

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Notes 

Key cumulative figures from the FiPL programme since it began:

• More than 2,400 projects have been approved for funding so far
• The number of farmers engaged in the programme has exceeded 5,000
• Programme funding for farmers and land managers to date is more than £25 million
• The programme has created 42 new farm clusters and helped support 106existing ones
• Funding has supported 485 Projects to reduce flood risk
• The number of volunteers engaged through the programme is over 5,000
• Over 100 miles (approximately 190 km) of new hedgerow have been planted
• 8 miles (approximately 13 km) of dry-stone walling have been restored

 

Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL): FiPL is a funding programme from Defra which funds projects in protected Landscapes which reflect at least one of the four themes: nature, climate, people and place. It is for one-off projects and is now in its third year.

Environmental Land Management scheme (ELMs): ELMs is part of the Government’s Agricultural Transition plan. Defra are expanding their schemes to pay farmers and land managers to provide environmental goods and services alongside food production; and are providing one-off grants to support farm productivity, innovation, research and development.

There are 46 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) across England (34), Wales (4) and Northern Ireland (8). They are protected by the nation for everyone. They are places where landform, climate, species, industry, heritage, culture and language come together to create something unique and distinctive, shaped by generations and waves of people. Some of the nation’s most iconic views are in AONBs: from the tin mines of Cornwall AONB to the silhouette of Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland Coast AONB, Willy Lott’s farm in Dedham Vale AONB (the subject of Constable’s Haywain) to the stark uplands of North Pennines AONB. AONBs are the nation’s nearby countryside – 66% of England’s population lives within a half hour journey time of their nearest AONB.  AONB’s are the nation’s landscapes.

The National Association for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty is a charity that provides a strong collective voice for the UK’s AONB Network. Its objectives are to promote the conservation and enhancement of AONBs, advance the education, understanding and appreciation by the public of AONBs.

Web: www.landscapesforlife.org.uk

Twitter: @naaonb @AONBFamily

National Parks England (NPE) brings together English National Park Authorities to provide a strong, collective and expert voice at a national level. We shape policy by drawing on our extensive experience, facilitating discussion, sharing knowledge, cultivating partnerships, and testing innovative solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing society.

For more information about the report, contact:

National Parks England (NPE):

Enquiries@nationalparksengland.org.uk

National Association for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (NAAONB):

ruth.colbridge@landscapesforlife.org.uk

Former Independent Chair of the Surrey Hills Board, Heather Kerswell receives The King’s Award

Congratulations to our former Independent Chair of the Surrey Hills Board, Heather Kerswell for receiving The King’s Award presented at our Board Meeting on the 7th of June by Deputy Lieutenant of Surrey, Perdita Hunt OBE. This award reflects Heather’s outstanding achievements and commitment to raising the profile of Surrey including campaigning to secure the review of the AONB boundary for the first time since the Surrey Hills was designated in 1958.

A very productive session for the Surrey Hills Byways working group in Ranmore. Collaboration across Surrey Police, Surrey County Council, local councillors, off-road community groups, the Surrey Hills team and local residents has meant that procedures can be put in place to make steps in eradicating illegal off-road activity in the Surrey Hills countryside. This small minority of people partake in behaviours that cause destruction to habitat, disruption to wildlife and tensions with residents and communities. A special thanks to Surrey County Council for their efforts implementing access measures in the area to create a safer place for people and nature.

Over the past few months, members from the Surrey Coalition of Disabled People have been undertaking accessibility audits across the Surrey Hills to help create a more accessible countryside for all. People with disabilities are 10x less likely to access the countryside than the general population, therefore the projects developed from these audits look to ensure everyone has the opportunity to enjoy and protect our national landscape.

The Surrey Coalition of Disabled People team comments:

“We have been delighted to work with the Surrey Hills team to ensure that the countryside is accessible for all. In particular, we want to highlight how the Surrey Hills team involved us from the outset of the project. It’s so important that accessibility is thought through from the beginning of any project. Thanks to the team for working with us, we’re looking forward to many walks, wheels or sitting in the Surrey countryside.”

The Surrey Coalition recently returned to one of their original access audit sites, Newlands Corner, to experience the improvements made and provide further feedback for future projects. In collaboration with the Surrey Coalition, Surrey Hills team, Albury Estate and Surrey County Council, the easier access trail now provides an improved experience with resurfacing works and the addition of benches.

Deputy Cabinet Member for Environment, Paul Deach comments:

“It’s great to welcome the addition of the new easy access trail at our iconic Newlands Corner site and is something we want to see more of across Surrey’s countryside. We cannot underestimate the value of being outdoors and the great mental and physical benefits it brings, and it is important that our green spaces offer facilities that make them accessible to everyone.  The advice and guidance offered by the Surrey Coalition of Disabled People for this new trail has been invaluable and shows what can be done when we work collaboratively”.

There are further projects planned at this site including the addition of a boardwalk made from Albury Estate timber to protect the ancient yew trees, which have suffered from soil compaction. This is enabling visitors to understand the significance of these internationally important trees and feel empowered to protect them. The Surrey Choices Growth Team, who provide outdoor work experience to supported adults, have been hard at work at Newlands Corner conserving and enhancing the enjoyment of the area. Activities have included helping construct the new boardwalk, creating dead hedging to protect the yew trees, and a huge array of conservation works at the viewpoint, much of which facilitated by Surrey Hills Society and funded by the Surrey Hills Access Fund. The team recently were joined by the Adult and Health Select Committee and Mayor of Guildford to see the fantastic habitat restoration and conservation work they have done, which won the Environmental Award at the BBC Make a Difference Awards.

Mette le Jakobsen, Surrey Choices Managing Director said “The partnership between the Growth Team at Surrey Choices and the Surrey Hills Society is exceptional. We had the delight of seeing some of the work the team have done, restoring grassland, and conserving the woodland. It was wonderful to have the opportunity to admire the ancient yew trees, it was quite inspirational and actually a little bit emotional.”

These projects come in response to our landscapes being protected for nature and for more people to enjoy and protect it. DEFRA has provided all National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty with an Access for All Fund, of which the Surrey Hills received one of the highest amounts of funding. The Surrey Coalition have helped inform a multitude of access improvement projects across the Surrey Hills, alongside the feedback gathered by over 300 guests at the Surrey Hills Symposium in 2022.

Kathy Atkinson, Chair of the Surrey Hills Board comments:

“In order to protect the Surrey Hills for the future, and so that everyone can benefit from this amazing landscape, it’s essential for us to be able to work with expert groups such as Surrey Coalition, who can bring their understanding of access issues and work with us to address these. People will only fight to protect and nurture the countryside if they really value it, so supporting access for people to spend time in the Surrey Hills helps to build our army of countryside protectors. And then there is the power of volunteering, as our work with Surrey Choices demonstrates. Doing something practical and useful in an amazing setting . . . it’s good for the volunteers and it helps the natural environment too. We are so grateful for all the work done by our Surrey Choices friends who have been out in good weather and bad!”

A small group of off-roaders continue to carve out illegal tracks in an area of ancient woodland in the Surrey Hills. In response, off-road user groups, residents and landowners are now united in taking action by reporting this illegal activity to the police to assist them in prosecuting the offenders.

Green Lane Association Director and Surrey local Stuart Boreham said “It’s always infuriating to see the selfish actions of a few damaging the countryside we all love. Driving unsurfaced roads and byways, often called ‘green laning’, is a hobby enjoyed across the nation by our 5000 members and many others. We see drivers of all ages, races, and backgrounds, able-bodied and less able, peacefully using their vehicles to access the countryside. The Green Lane Association will, as here, always support councils and local groups to promote and enforce safe legal laning for all. I look forward to action being taken against the vandals.”

Kristina Kenworthy, Chair of the Surrey Hills Byways Working Group said “I am saddened and shocked by the ongoing abuse by a small group of off-road users, inflicting such destruction in the bluebell woods and special landscape of the Surrey Hills. This is not a new issue, but I am pleased to see the collaboration between residents, community groups, local councils and organisations and the Surrey Police to take serious action. A huge thank you to Surrey County Council for all their efforts so far in supporting the mitigation of this issue.”

Chairman of Mole Valley District Council, Paul Potter, who is a keen motorcyclist and advocate for safe and respectful riding along our green lanes, and Claire Malcomson, member of the Surrey Hills Board and Climate Change Cabinet Member for Mole Valley, with residents and concerned stakeholders have been attending regular meetings in the Ranmore area to try to save our green lanes. Some parts of these ancient byways are being destroyed by what could be just a handful of off roaders breaking the law through trespass, churning up the land and destroying the special woodlands in the Surrey Hills. This creates deep ruts in the tracks that then fill with water and make them impassable.

These meetings have welcomed the support of Surrey Police to help take serious action against this illegal and destructive activity.

Cllr Malcomson said, “We are so very thankful to the police for taking this seriously and supporting the residents. We want to also thank the Surrey Hills National Landscape for organising and funding the initiative. This will then deter the behaviour, supply evidence of who is doing this and identify the culprits. What a team.”

To report illegal off-road activity, use the live chat function at Home | Surrey Police. If a crime is taking place or there is a threat to life, always call 999.

For further information on the Surrey Hills National Landscape visit www.surreyhills.org.