Category: Board

The Surrey Hills needs your help this new year 

In December 2021, Natural England kicked off the first phase of the Surrey Hills boundary review by asking for your engagement. It is looking to gather evidence within the evaluation areas identified* to help inform the decision to whether the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) boundaries should be extended into adjacent areas to the AONB. 

So far, there has been brilliant engagement on the evidence gathering platform, with the public submitting their evidence within these evaluation areas. In December, we encouraged all our communities to get involved. 

Heather Kerswell, Chair of the Surrey Hills AONB Board said: 

Were you able to get out over Christmas and think about the landscapes you think are noteworthy enough to be included as a national asset in the new Surrey Hills designation? I know lots of the public, parish councils, and local groups such as bird groups are on the case already – well done all! Whether eventually included by Natural England in the extended area or not it will be invaluable to have a record of these places. Keep them coming! 

This evidence gathering stage continues until the 31 January 2022, so we are asking for your involvement to help Natural England inform the next stage in their process by submitting your images and evidence.

You can do so by visiting the website here.

After the 31 January, the responses provided will inform and complement further research and survey work to complete the evaluation of natural beauty and the desirability of extending the AONB as required by Natural England.  There will be opportunities to provide feedback on the emerging picture between February and March.  This is expected to lead to proposals for an extension to the AONB being the subject of a formal statutory and public consultation later in the year. 

We welcome your participation to contribute your knowledge in helping Natural England with evidence in the decision-making process. 

*Other adjacent areas with a particularly compelling case may also be considered. Find the map of evaluation areas here.

Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) needs you

• Local knowledge is being sought to help decide on the extension of Surrey Hills AONB boundaries
• Natural England is calling for everyone with an interest to contribute
• Whether you live in in the Surrey Hills AONB, run a local business, enjoy visiting, care about landscapes and biodiversity, or represent an organisation – your evidence could be crucial in helping determine whether an extension is merited

The Surrey Hills is an iconic and beautiful landscape encompassing rare habitats from chalk grassland to extensive ancient woodland and is enjoyed by millions of residents and visitors.

There has been a desire locally over many years for a review to decide whether additional areas adjacent to the existing AONB boundary should also be designated.

Earlier this year Natural England announced that the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) will be considered for boundary expansion.

A formal boundary review is now underway which will consider the case for extending the existing AONB.

Members of the public are urged to take part and contribute to Natural England’s decision making process.  This stage is a ‘call for evidence’ to gather a range of data and information in a structured way to help address the specific technical requirements of the formal assessment process.

From today people can participate easily online, through a digital app, and other means. Evidence provided by the public will help contribute to Natural England’s assessment of the natural beauty of the area; and its decision whether other areas in the vicinity of the existing boundary should form part of an extended Surrey Hills AONB. 

Allison Potts, Area Manager for Natural England, said:

“It is very important that people who live in and around the Surrey Hills have the opportunity to participate in this review process. Your local knowledge is our starting point.

“We are urging members of the public to help Natural England build evidence – to gather information about the natural beauty of the landscape; its condition, natural and cultural heritage, scenic qualities, relative wildness and tranquillity. Evidence that you provide for these factors could be particularly important for our assessments”.

If further areas are added to the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this could bring many benefits for the area, including boosting nature’s recovery, giving more people the opportunity to enjoy this beautiful area and safeguarding a nationally important landscape for future generations.

An extension to the Surrey Hills AONB could help preserve the natural environment and rural heritage, promote tranquillity and give more opportunity to support people’s health and wellbeing through access to nature, on the doorstep of London.

Click the button below to find out how you can help Natural England to decide.

The first Greenway in the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) was officially launched on 23 September by the Chairman of Surrey County Council, Helyn Clack. Known as the Leith Hill Greenway, the new route provides greater access for people of all abilities to enjoy beautiful countryside in a sustainable way for their health and well-being whilst reducing conflict.  It is hoped this new route will be the first of many Greenways across Surrey linking the countryside with towns and cities.

The brainchild of Cycling UK, Greenways are a network of mostly off-road routes that connect people to facilities, rural businesses and open spaces in and around towns, cities and the countryside. The new 15 km Leith Hill Greenway route provides an opportunity for Surrey residents and visitors to enjoy the famous views of Box Hill, one of the UK’s most spectacular vineyards at Denbies and the National Trust’s majestic Leith Hill tower, with its sweeping panoramic views of London and the English Channel.  Along the Greenway, the countryside is blessed with rich wildlife, ancient woodland, historic sites and rolling fields.

The new route is well signposted, easily accessible and safely off-road, and encourages people to leave their vehicles at home and explore the area in a more sustainable way. The route can be started and finished at any point where there is a directional sign, meaning visitors can take on the challenge of the full 15 km or just a section of the route.

Duncan Dollimore, Cycling UK’s head of campaigns:

“The Greenways initiative is a fabulous opportunity not just for Surrey visitors and residents but also for local businesses along its linked-up network of traffic free and traffic light routes. The vision of being able to journey from London to Leith Hill in peace and quiet is something all lovers of the countryside should support, whether you walk, cycle or ride horses.

“Cycling UK is hugely supportive of the Surrey Hills AONBs ambition and have helped advise on the work to date linking Leith Hill to Denbies Wine Estate. We’d encourage everyone to give it a go, and while doing so bear in mind the mantra of our joint education campaign with the British Horse Society: “Be Nice, Say Hi”.”

Mark Weston, Director of Access at the British Horse Society:

“We are thrilled to see that the Greenways initiative is helping to improve access for all users in the Surrey Hills.  As one of the vulnerable road user groups, horse riders face considerable dangers on our roads and the need for safer off-road riding opportunities has never been greater.

By promoting the BHS and Cycling UK’s joint campaign, ‘Be Nice, Say Hi’ in the area we hope that we will be able to educate more riders, cyclists and walkers to be confident to pass one another comfortably and safely.”

Fiona Spencer of the Ramblers Association (Mole Valley):

“As Ramblers we welcome the Greenway initiative as a way to encourage more people to discover the joys of walking in nature. The Ramblers Association, through its local groups, of which there are 16 in Surrey, offers sociable volunteer-led walks to suit all levels of experience. Since Covid-19 the desire of people to visit the countryside has become ever more apparent. Well guided trails are important in helping people feel safe in walking, whether alone or with others. Exchanging a friendly smile with those you may meet, be they on foot, on horseback or on bicycles, can only add to our pleasure. So Be Nice, say Hi.”

Heather Kerswell, Chair of the Surrey Hills AONB Board:

“We’re absolutely delighted to have Helyn Clack, Chairman of Surrey County Council to launch the new Leith Hill Greenway.  As more and more people recognise the benefits of discovering our countryside, the new Greenway will help them to do this by opening up the landscape for accessible exploration whilst encouraging people to respect and protect the natural environment as they do so.

” We are so grateful to all our partners, especially DEFRA for funding, Denbies for giving permissive access on their land for part of the route, and Surrey County Council for getting it all done!”

This project has been funded through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).

For more information about the new Leith Hill Greenway, including a map of the route visit: https://surreyhills.org/discover-route/leith-hill-greenway.

Tension is mounting between residents and off-road motorists on the Byways across the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Since lockdown the area has seen an increase in off-road motorised vehicles, with new tracks being illegally carved out on private land causing damage to nesting sites and historic landscape features. Residents have also noted a spike in anti-social behaviour such as fly-tipping, trespassing and setting fire to vehicles.

The Surrey Hills AONB Board Chair, Heather Kerswell, members of the Surrey Hills Board and local councillors met with Sarah Billingham and other residents on Monday 26 July to discuss the issues and see the damage being caused first hand at a site visit to Ranmore Common.

Heather Kerswell, Chair of the Surrey Hills AONB Board, says,

“I was shocked and saddened to see the damage being done to these byways and the surrounding habitats and historic landscape features. The Surrey Hills AONB Board sympathises with the impact that it has on residents and other recreational users in this beautiful and popular part of the Surrey Hills.  I am also aware of evidence that similar problems are now shared across large areas of the Surrey Hills. We need to work in partnership with our rural communities, Surrey County Council and Surrey Police to minimise this damage.”

The unique area of Ranmore Common just off the North Downs Way National Trail is a Site of Special Scientific interest and home to Lovelace bridges, WW11 monuments and old drovers roads with their ancient banks and woodlands. The grassy downland slopes offer a rare habitat to a myriad of species. The area is managed by a variety of landowners and regularly frequented by walkers, cyclists and horse riders. Due to the popularity of the byways in this area large rutted, muddy tracks have formed leaving them in a shocking state of repair impassable to all vehicles except robust 4x4s.

Local resident Sarah Billingham comments,

“We were delighted that members of the Surrey Hills Board came out to view the problems we are having across Ranmore Common. We have seen a huge increase in convoys of trail bikes and 4×4 vehicles accessing our byways in recent months, some of whom destroy habitats by regular trespassing onto private land. These convoys also displace walkers and horse riders from the BOATs which should be open to ALL traffic and not just vehicles. Protective action needs to be taken to combat this problem, possibly through closing some sections of our byways but we are concerned that this may push the problem to other areas of the Surrey Hills. I feel it is imperative that an overview approach is taken which amalgamates information as well as connecting communities that are all trying to contain these issues in isolation. A joined-up approach or possibly an area-wide Traffic Regulation Order for the Surrey Hills needs to be considered.”

Surrey County Councillor Hazel Watson, comments,

“There is mounting concern about the damage being caused to the protected Surrey Hills landscape by an irresponsible minority of off-road drivers. This site visit has highlighted how great the problem is in Mole Valley.”

“Today we saw deep rutted tracks caused by vehicles that, when filled with water, hide brick and rubble that can cause serious damage to walkers, cyclists and horse riders. We need to highlight the seriousness of this problem and work together to solve it.”

Reports of antisocial crime can be made to Surrey Police via their online reporting tool; https://www.surrey.police.uk/ro/report/asb/asb/report-antisocial-behaviour/

For further information on the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) visit www.surreyhills.org.

We’re on the hunt for North Downs Way Ambassadors and have a programme of free training available for people in Kent and Surrey who love being outdoors, love walking, love their local area and want to share that passion with others.

With interest in the outdoors, walking for wellbeing and focus on supporting local seeing huge increases during the pandemic we’re delighted to re-launch our North Downs Way Ambassadors programme which combines all three! Led by walking and outdoor adventure company Pied-a-Terre, this will provide a springboard for keen walkers to share their passion for the outdoors and develop their trail knowledge to create a range of engaging, professional and safe guided tours for visitors.

Training will consist of 6 sessions starting in September. The course will cover multiple topics about the North Downs Way including nature, history, art, food and drink, family fun as well as practical sessions on insurance, risk assessment and walking tour business development. Lessons will be offered online and in person including trips out onto the trail itself to test and feedback on the skills and knowledge learnt before being assessed and finally let loose in Kent and Surrey as fully fledged Ambassadors.

Applications are now open until 20th August and we’re looking to attract guides from all different backgrounds and locations along the trail including minority groups, disabled trail enthusiasts and family guides who can attract new and diverse audiences and help remove some of the access barriers to the glorious British countryside.

Pete Morris, North Downs Way Trail Manager said “The North Downs Way has so much to offer with 153 miles of beautiful views, stunning historic castles, cathedrals, palaces and artworks plus delicious produce and most importantly local beer! We’re delighted to be setting up this programme with Richard to help more people discover it.”

Richard Betts from Pied-a-Terre Adventures said “This is a great opportunity for us and we’re excited to be working with the Kent Downs AONB and North Downs Way teams to deliver a programme of training that will ultimately encourage more people to explore the outdoors. By combining local expertise with route knowledge these tours can be really engaging offering visitors a chance to experience the local area in a totally different way – without the car! Hopefully they’ll get the walking bug just like we have.”

For more information, visit: https://www.kentdowns.org.uk/experience/northdownswayambassadors.

The Surrey Hills AONB is recruiting for a new Communications Lead.

About the role

The Communications Lead for the Surrey Hills AONB is an exciting opportunity to raise awareness and understanding of the Surrey Hills as a Nationally protected landscape. You will lead the development and delivery of the Communications strategy and activity plan, helping to deliver projects that promote wide public understanding of the special landscape character and local distinctiveness of the Surrey Hills and the purpose of designation.

You will be the key driver for communications with both external and internal audiences including; visitors, key stakeholders and the Surrey Hills family of organisations. The role will suit an enthusiastic and creative individual with experience of the whole marketing mix and an interest in environment, landscape and the outdoors.

To be shortlisted to interview for this position your application will clearly evidence how you could deliver the role purpose and key outputs through your specific experience and qualifications, including:

• Building strong relationships to work in partnership with a range of key stakeholders from across the Surrey Hills family and national partners
• Ability to develop and deliver comprehensive communications and marketing plans
• Delivery of engaging content across a range of channels
• Experience of developing and strengthening a brand identity
• Managing your time to deliver multiple projects at any one time

At Surrey, our values and behaviours are just as important as our skills and abilities. They shape who we are as an organisation. Find out more about the values we follow.

For more information please find the full job description below and refer to this before submitting your application. We also invite you to read our Life at Surrey handbook to see insights of the culture at Surrey and how as a valued employee, you can help shape our Council.

Additional information

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 1st August 2021. Interviews will take place on Friday 6^th August at Warren Farm Barns, Mickleham.

The role is based at Warren Farm Barns, Headley Lane, Mickleham, Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6DG. It is expected that work will be carried out in a hybrid way between the role base, home working and at sites across the county as required for the role.

Contact details

If you would like an informal discussion about the role please contact Caroline Price by email at caroline.price@surreycc.gov.uk.

For more information about the role, visit: Surrey Hills Communications Lead – Job Description (1)

To learn more about life at Surrey, visit: Life at Surrey Handbook

A free community forum is taking place this July, giving local people and groups in the Surrey Hills the chance to have their voice heard on key topics impacting the protected landscape.

The Surrey Hills Community Forum 2021 will take place on Thursday 29 July 2021 as an online session via Zoom. Providing the opportunity for parish councils and community groups in the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) to hear the very latest on important issues such as the ‘Surrey Hills Boundary Extension’ and ‘Making Space for Nature – Greening Communities’ as well as lend their voice to these and other topics.

Hosted by the Surrey Hills AONB Board and the Surrey Association of Local Councils, this will also be a chance for local people to learn more about the work of the Surrey Hills Family.

Taking place from 10am to 11.30am as an online session, the programme will cover the following:

Welcome and introduction
Liz Cutter, Vice President of SALC and Surrey Hills AONB Board

Update on the Surrey Hills
Rob Fairbanks, Surrey Hills AONB Director

Surrey Hills Boundary Extension
Heather Kerswell,Surrey Hills AONB Chair
Clive Smith, Surrey Hills Planning Adviser

Making Space for Nature – Greening Communities
Liz Cutter, Vice President of SALC and Surrey Hills AONB Board
Caroline Price, Surrey Hills AONB

Q&A
Anne Bott,Deputy CEO SALC

To book a place on 29 July, visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/surrey-hills-community-forum-2021-tickets-160542118799.

 

International Trails Day is taking place on Saturday 5 June 2021 as an annual celebration of walking trails worldwide, their significance and the important role we all play in conserving them.

Originally founded by The American Hiking Society (AMS) and inspired by the National Trails Day that has been established for 30 years in the US, International Trails Day takes place on the first Saturday of June each year and is a way to celebrate the amazing trails to be enjoyed around the world.

The past year has confirmed the huge benefits that we all receive from the green spaces that surround us and our National Trails are a key part of that. Providing us with the chance to connect with nature, exercise in the open air and explore new pathways and places, they are vital spaces for both our mental and physical health, as well as for the species that call them home. Perfect both for long-distance hikes and shorter countryside walks, these great walking trails of the UK criss-cross the country, opening up the countryside for adventures of discovery and showcasing some of the very best scenery to eager explorers.

Here in the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) we are lucky enough to have the North Downs Way National Trail pass through the Surrey Hills from Farnham and on to the Kent Downs AONB, before finishing at the famous White Cliffs of Dover. One of England’s most accessible trails, the North Downs Way cuts across South East England, providing 153 miles of walking trails of stunning scenery, rich history, countryside views and pretty villages to visit along the way.

This year, in celebration of International Trails Day, people are being encouraged to take a moment to share a ‘Trail Tribute’ on social media as a way of expressing their appreciation for the National Trails they enjoy and as a way to express their gratitude for the people that look after them. Using the hashtags #ITD2021 and #MyTrailTribute, celebrate the North Downs Way this International Trails Day and share a photo of the trail, tagging @surreyhillsaonb on Instagram, @SurreyHills on Facebook and @SurreyHillsAONB on Twitter, alongside @NorthDownsWay.

International Trails Day helps us to see our treasured North Downs Way as part of a wider network of trails, each cared for by a community of rangers, volunteers and essential workers who ensure that they are safely maintained for the walkers of today and those of future generations. They are places of exploration, relaxation, reconnection, discovery, adventure and more, and this International Trails Day will shine a spotlight on the vital part they play in our countryside.

For more information about the North Downs Way National Trail, visit: www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/trails/north-downs-way.

Residents and visitors to the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) are being reminded of the dangers of wildfires as the weather becomes more seasonably warm and we head towards the bank holiday weekend. Just one spark, whether from a cigarette, BBQ or campfire, can start a wildfire that can destroy precious habitats and kill wildlife.

The newly-updated Countryside Code urges visitors to our green spaces to respect and protect the environment by only using BBQs where signs state that they are allowed and making sure that, if used, they are extinguished fully, with the cold ashes disposed of responsibly. It also draws attention to the dangers of naked flames and cigarettes.

Last May saw a real-life example of the devastation that can be caused by an out-of-control fire in the countryside, when Thursley Common, a national nature reserve in the Surrey Hills AONB, fell victim to a vast wildfire. A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), the fire quickly resulted in a tragedy that unfolded to devastating proportions, with more than 130 hectares of protected heathland destroyed by the blaze. As the fire encroached on the Common’s protected habitats, an estimated 200-300 precious animal and plant species were impacted and huge swathes of the heathland and trails were lost – totalling around a third of the nature reserve.

The terrible fire at Thursley Common in spring 2020, also highlighted the pressure that is put on the emergency services when a wildfire takes hold of the countryside. Such a huge operation, of some 40 firefighters in the case of the Thursley Common fire, places an enormous additional strain on the fire service, a danger to both people and properties locally.

Heather Kerswell, Chair of the Surrey Hills AONB Board, comments:

“While May has seen a lot of rain it will not take long for the ground to dry out again. We urge everyone please not to use disposable BBQs, not to light camp fires or to drop cigarettes when visiting the AONB and to make sure that any flames that are used, are fully extinguished to prevent further devastating wildfires. We all have a responsibility to look after the countryside for current and future generations and being mindful of the risk of wildfires and the danger they pose to nature is one of the ways that we can do this. Enjoy your visit!”

The Surrey Hills Board is working to engage landowners and farmers across the Surrey Hills to help raise awareness of the dangers of wildfires amongst the public. Surrey Fire Service’s wildfire team led a recent workshop for members of the Greenscape, West Surrey Greensands and the North Downs Facilitation Fund groups who bring together landowners and managers across Surrey to encourage collaboration and achieve environmental improvements. The workshop highlighted the causes of wildfires, what to look out for and the importance of signage to educate the public.

The group also learnt more about a new initiative The K9 Fire Patrol, where local dog walkers can act as the eyes and ears of the fire service! K9 Fire Patrol members need only record their time walking and report any fires, fly tipping or anti-social behaviour observed, providing the perfect opportunity to spread awareness about wildfires and the risks they pose to people, businesses and local wildlife.

Those keen to sign up for the K9 Fire Patrol can email The Surrey Fire and Rescue Service sfrs.wildfire@surreycc.gov.uk.

To learn more about the dangers of wildfires, watch this short video, produced by Defra: https://youtu.be/ci9qkFm-Zp0.

Anyone that notices an unattended fire in the countryside, is encouraged to call 999 immediately to report it.

For further information on the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) visit www.surreyhills.org.

This month, people are being urged to leave the mower in the shed and the lawn to nature as part of Plantlife’s ‘No Mow May’. Plantlife is the British conservation charity that works to save threatened wild flowers, plants and fungi, both nationally and internationally, and their annual No Mow May campaign is a way of highlighting the importance of garden wildlife and plant species, and their vital role in pollination.

Culminating in the Bank Holiday Weekend at the end of the month, those that have taken part in #NoMowMay and those that haven’t, are being encouraged to count the flowers on their lawn as part of the Every Flower Counts Survey – a way of recording the levels of wildflowers growing in gardens and, in turn, the nectar that is available for the key species that feed on it.

By counting the flowers on their lawn between 22^nd and 31^st May, people will receive a Personal Nectar Score, from which Plantlife can calculate a National Nectar Index. This will reveal how lawns across the country are helping to feed pollinating species.

Previous surveys have shown that more than 200 species of wild flower grow on UK lawns, with unmown lawns home to an even greater number – and variety – of plant species. In turn, the studies have shown that almost 100 different pollinators exist on garden lawns, with bees the most common (making up 63%) and hoverflies (15%) and butterflies and moths next (10%).

It is easy to think of our lawns as wildlife deserts, but the Every Flower Counts survey has shown quite the opposite is true and the frequency of mowing directly impacts the number of pollinating species in our gardens. In recent years, both have been in sharp decline, showing the important relationship between plants and pollinators.

Since the 1930s, almost 7.5 million acres of meadows and pastures, rich in wildflowers, have been lost, meaning the important role of our garden lawns has increased – and with 15 million gardens in Britain, there is huge potential to provide nectar for pollinating species. One acre of wildflower meadow, on a single summer’s day, can support almost 96,000 honey bees on its 3 million flowers – incredible!

The survey will therefore also reveal the top ten lawn-growing flowers and provide advice on how to increase the number of flowers within garden lawns as a way of counteracting meadow loss across the country.

Every Flower Counts is the first survey of its kind to assess the species found in garden lawns and their vital role in pollination. It will also allow Plantlife to monitor trends over time, learn how the score can be improved, discover the possible impact of climate change and find out what the most frequently seen plant species in British garden lawns are.

To find out more about No Mow May and Every Flower Counts, visit: www.plantlife.org.uk/everyflowercounts.

This month saw the launch of a new, refreshed Countryside Code from Natural England, with the aim of updating the guidance for those visiting and enjoying the countryside.

The refreshed Countryside Code encourages all ages to get out into green spaces, whilst doing so in a safe and respectful way that doesn’t damage the precious environment or cause issues for local communities and other visitors. 70 years on from the launch of the first Countryside Code in 1951, the new guidelines come at a time when more people than ever before are discovering the health and wellbeing benefits of being in nature.

Particular updates to the revised Countryside Code include advice for people to ‘be nice, say hello, share the space’, ‘enjoy your visit, have fun, make a memory’, and reminders to keep to footpaths and bridleways and not to feed wild animals or livestock. There are also clearer rules for dog walkers around cleaning up after their animal and ensuring dogs are kept under control around livestock. Another change is the addition of information around permissions to undertake activities, such as wild swimming.

It has also been made clear that the Countryside Code applies to all places in nature, including parks, waterways, the coast and countryside.

Featuring in a new short film that has been made to coincide with the launch, Surrey Hills farmer, Paula Matthews from Manor Farm in Wotton near Dorking, speaks of the impact of visitors on the working countryside and the importance of respecting the environment around us. She says:

“The Countryside Code gives help and advice to plan for a safe and enjoyable visit to the Countryside, whilst remembering that it’s a place of work; growing food for us all to eat and providing habitats and quiet areas to protect and enrich wildlife and biodiversity in the Surrey Hills”.

[su_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/8yCR1SmraNA”]

To view the newly updated Countryside Code, visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-countryside-code

 

The Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty secured the top spot in a recent Sunday Times article as the best place to live in the South East. Boasting diverse and picturesque landscapes, quintessential towns and villages and breathtaking views all within an hour of London by train it’s easy to see why the area is so popular.

The Times and Sunday Times property editor Helen Davies commented:
“With miles of ancient woodlands, panoramic views and timeless, picture-perfect villages such as Tilford, Shere and Abinger Hammer, life in the Surrey Hills is a gloriously romantic rural idyll – and it’s all within commuting distance of London.”

With the popularity of the Surrey Hills at an all-time high, the AONB Board is eager to work with our land managers and communities to build at least 100 new hotels, thousands of new homes and even a superhighway over the next 2 years. Before everyone recoils in shock this is not to provide accommodation for visitors or to relieve traffic, it is because we need to provide more space for nature.

Nature is in catastrophic decline, due in the main to urbanisation, agricultural practices, pollution, and climate change. The 2019 State of Nature report found 41% of UK species are declining and one in 10 is threatened with extinction. A recent report ‘Insect declines and why they matter’ commissioned by a group of Wildlife Trusts concluded that drastic declines in insect numbers will have far-reaching consequences for wildlife and people. Insects make up the bulk of known species on Earth, and are integral to the functioning of ecosystems, performing vital roles such as pollination, seed dispersal and nutrient cycling. The positive message from this report is that we know why our pollinators and other insects are dying and that concerted action from government, local authorities, food growers and the public can reverse this unfolding disaster.

In a bid to fight back for nature, Buglife launched their new ‘superhighways’ plans last week to help the UK’s pollinators. The aim is to reconnect landscapes so pollinators and wildlife can move freely. Buglife is mapping a network of insect superhighways across Surrey of potential wildflower habitat – called B-Lines.

Catherine Jones from Buglife comments: “B-Lines provide an exciting opportunity for everyone to support our struggling insect pollinators. By working together to create a network of wildflower-rich habitats, we can support healthy populations of bees and other pollinators enabling them respond to threats such as climate change.”

The time to act is now and we can all play a part in making space for nature by helping to provide habitats for wildlife and insects. An example of this can be seen at Albury Vineyard, who are the proud of owners of a giant hotel– of the bug variety!

“More than 80% of EU crops rely on a severely declining bug population for pollination,” explains vineyard owner Nick Wenman. “The Bug Hotel is a great way to help educate local school children on the importance of pollinators to the environment. We very much welcome anyone who is interested to come and visit us, enjoy a glass of our organic wine and visit the Bug Hotel.”

Hotel developer Andy Wright of Conservation and Access comments: “A bug hotel is basically a cavity stuffed with different types of wood and lots of holes, nooks and crannies for insects to lay their eggs. Big or small, they are all great for insects. It’s a mini-world of adventure in these things and they are amazingly textured and interesting on the eye. We mustn’t forget about pollinating plants as well,  everyone with a garden can do their bit simply with a patch of floristic lawn.”

The Surrey Hills Board are keen to work with local communities and Parish Councils across the Surrey Hills to develop initiatives to benefit nature.

Liz Cutter, Vice President of the Surrey Association of Local Councils (SALC) comments: “We need to act collaboratively now to stop the decline of nature. We know from our Making Space for Nature Symposium with Surrey University last year that people want to get involved in projects that benefit nature but don’t know how so we have decided to establish a Greening Communities initiative that will work with local communities to develop projects that encourage the return of nature. From creating bug hotels and pond restoration to community nature reserves and traffic calming, we can all play a part locally and the more people engaged in our work the more we can make a difference”.

Rob Fairbanks, Surrey Hills AONB Director, states: “We are having to give nature a Helping Hand by creating these structures but we urgently need to work with our farmers and landowners to ensure we manage our environment in a more sustainable way to let nature flourish itself.  Nature is our grandest designer and species like the beaver can create their own homes which also provides a nature based solution to help manage flood risks.”

If you want to get involved in our new Greening Communities initiative please email your interest to pennie.king@surreycc.gov.uk

For further information on the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) visit www.surreyhills.org.