Patrick Mannix is a local resident and has been a practicing owner/operator of Sandhurst Copse & Sheepwalk woodland in the Surrey Hills AONB for the last 20 years. He has lectured and hosted visits by the Surrey Hills Society and many members take advantage of his “managed access” system, giving permission to walk in the woodland. Interacting with nature every day, observing and learning, he has been curious about nature and natural processes since his grandfather taught him the names of trees in the 1940s.  Now, as a grandfather himself, his concerns are about the world our grandchildren will grow up in and how we can learn to respect our natural environment before it is too late.

The growing awareness of the need to plant trees and respect other aspects of nature is very welcome; but with a little caution. Nature is such a complex web of interaction between the smallest invisible organisms comprising the microbiome of the soil, and the larger ones that we can see, that almost any action, however well intended, will have an adverse reaction somewhere. Only nature left to itself over a long time can create biodiversity, we do not have a sufficient grasp of the underpinnings. We seem only able to damage it.

To help nature, we should start by understanding what we already have, supporting and promoting that which does well. If we wish to try new species in the expectation that they may benefit from or be better able to withstand climate change, then plant a few as a test, indeed plant a few of different types. When I was managing herbaceous borders that we inherited with our house in Shamley Green, I would always buy several of a new plant, or of several different plants and then only buy more of the ones that were happy in that location and succeeded. In Sandhurst Copse & Sheepwalk woodland for 20 years I have only planted seed or seedlings from trees already in the wood, on the basis that if the mother tree is happy then it increases the chance that the seedlings will be happy, in that location. I am now experimenting with some additional species, eg wild service trees; but again, plant a few and only replicate those that show success. If you want to try wildflower seeds, then do so on an isolated test site, and monitor what happens to the already established species and only try one new species at a time. Only promote those that do well but do not overwhelm the existing inhabitants.

Be cautious regarding tree planting schemes. If you want to plant a tree, then decide what type of tree for what purpose. It should then be planted in a suitable location for that purpose. Trees do need some management in particular to prevent damage from rodents, rabbits, deer and squirrels, is that going to be provided? Also, whilst planting a tree is touted as a contribution to addressing climate change, it should not be an excuse for failing to take other action. Our most significant contribution to addressing climate change is by adjusting our lifestyle regarding long haul flights, motor vehicles, consumption of beef and dairy products, unnecessary purchases and cutting out any excess. Do not plant a tree until you have, at least, decided on your own personal actions.

Many of us are giving much more thought to our health and wellbeing since the pandemic and have developed a greater interest in the provenance and traceability of our food.  We have also become much more aware of our local community and shown an increasing desire to buy local. We are lucky in Surrey to have an array of wonderful products that are grown and produced locally. What better way can there be to support our local producers than buying food from one of Surrey’s farmers’ markets?

They range from the relatively large monthly markets of Guildford, Farnham and Ripley through to far smaller ones such as the weekly Food Float in Dorking.  Those in-between include Cobham, Horsley, Ockley, Reigate and the South West Surrey Farmers’ Market Co-operative – a not-for-profit organisation that sells locally grown or sourced products through markets in Godalming, Haslemere and Milford.

Many of these markets have become a social hub for the local community – such as the monthly farmers’ market in Ripley. Visiting on a wet and windy morning in May, families were out and about despite the rain, stopping to chat and trying or buying from a diverse range of products. There were well over thirty stall holders set out over the Green. Meat, poultry, honey, cheese, breads, biscuits, handmade chocolates, vegetables and plants were all for sale, along with the more unusual items such as microgreens and naturally fermented vegetables. Stalls with wine, beer and even rum were offering tastings along with the very much on-trend probiotic drinks. Joining the queue to buy locally grown asparagus, baby carrots and spinach was well worth the wait. As I left, another queue was building for the fresh fish mobile market where naturally the fish came from a greater distance.

Guildford’s farmers’ market takes place on the High Street on the first Tuesday of every month. It has been thriving since 2000 and has a wide range of local vendors from Guildford and further afield. The layout along the cobbled street is perhaps less family friendly, but the focus of this market is for customers to buy things and perhaps grab a bargain.

A large corn and cattle market was once a feature of Dorking High Street while a poultry market was regularly held in South Street where the famous ‘Dorking Chickens’ were sold. These have been more recently succeeded by a monthly artisan market and a weekly small general market. The Friday I visited there were some half dozen traders, selling plants, fresh fish, household goods, fruit and vegetables. Sadly, local produce seemed thin on the ground.

However, Dorking still offers access to local farmers and other suppliers through the weekly Food Float; a not-for-profit company staffed by volunteers. It has been operating since 2010 and offers a wide range of locally sourced produce all crammed onto an old-fashioned stand rather like a milk float.  There was an incredible range of dairy, meat, conserves, bread and vegetables along with some more unusual items such as locally ground speciality coffee and dried fruit crisps. It really is all about local produce, with just a few items coming from across county borders. I caught up with Maddie who runs the operation asking her how lockdown had affected their trade. She explained they managed to do extremely well, switching much of their operation to home deliveries as well as donating produce to local families.

With sustainable living and a growing interest in our local communities firmly on the agenda, farmers’ markets are hopefully very much here to stay.

Susie Turner

Concern over climate change is inspiring dramatic changes in thinking all around the world and that includes many in the Surrey Hills too.

In my own village of Shamley Green, we decided to form an environment group in January 2019. Despite the pandemic the group has gone from strength to strength.  There were two urgent tasks. The first was to find more volunteers for the toad patrols that happen in February and March. Toads like to make their way back to the pond of their birth to breed at this time – just around dusk. Unfortunately this coincides with the evening rush hour and has resulted in many toads being killed.

The second urgent job was to do something about our village ponds.  One had become so overgrown with an invasive weed (crassula helmsii), that the ducks were now standing on the pond – not in it!  We also have a second pond which was completely choked by reed mace.

But where to start? We were just all enthusiastic amateurs.  We contacted the Surrey Amphibian and Reptile Group who recommended that we started with an environmental audit. The parish council agreed to pay for this at their March meeting and by April we had an expert out surveying our ponds and creating a report. A ponds working group was formed. Our challenge, however, was that everyone had a slightly different idea as to the purpose of the two ponds and it appears that ducks and amphibians are not great neighbours.  The consensus eventually was that we would manage one pond for wildlife and the other pond for ducks and humans.

Once the project brief regarding the ponds had been agreed, a generous villager came forward and offered to pay for the expensive task of removing the crassula and the reed mace in the autumn of 2020.

Another group was formed to work with the parish council to change the way we mowed our commons, as we wanted to increase biodiversity through the creation of wildflower meadows. It also had implications for the frogs and toads who need the long grass for protection and green corridors to move away from the ponds after breeding. Some residents felt that the long grass would look unkempt and so began a detailed consultation with all the villagers to agree where we would mow and where we would not.

One of our members turned out to be a very knowledgeable landscape designer. She organised, as part of her company’s training scheme, to bring Prof James Titchmough, the famous designer of the wildflower meadows at the Olympic Park, to spend the day with us. After spending the morning with her team, she generously donated the rest of his day to meet with our volunteers and give us advice on how to manage our commons more sustainably.

We now have groups focussing on birds and trees, whilst another group is working with our local schools. It has been really surprising how easy it has been to get these projects started and we seem to have lots of support from the borough council and our parish council. I know there are quite a number of other environment groups across the Surrey Hills, so do think about getting involved in one local to you. I have found these environmental initiatives very rewarding and have also met some really interesting new people in my village.

Chris Howard

Surrey Hills Champions’ Programme 

The Surrey Hills Society is delighted to be collaborating with Surrey Hills Enterprises to implement nature recovery projects as part of their Surrey Hills Champions programme.

The programme is an exciting opportunity to become part of a growing network of like-minded individuals and organisations, who share the same love of the Surrey Hills.  There are a number of benefits for those that subscribe to become Champions including exclusive offers for products, experiences and events provided by Trade Mark Surrey Hills businesses. Trade Mark Surrey Hills is a mark of local provenance, quality and sustainability.

The cost of becoming a Champion is £25 of which £10 will be paid by Surrey Hills Enterprises to the Society to carry out vital community projects including selective tree planting, hedgerow planting and supporting young people to benefit from the healing power of nature. These projects are a significant part of our strategy to increase environmental sustainability, encourage native insects and wildlife and play our part to help reduce climate change.

Full details of the Surrey Hills Champion Scheme can be found here

Society members are entitled to a subscription discount of 20% using the following coupon code: SHSCH2021

The first Nature Recovery site – Clandon Wood

The first designated site will be Clandon Wood Natural Burial ground and nature reserve.  The 31 acre grounds are managed to complement the surrounding farmland and woodlands to the benefit of local wildlife. Although most of the site is meadowland the newly planted hedgerow trees will blend the woodlands and grasslands of the neighbourhood together.

Friends of the Surrey Hills

 As a Society member you already receive our regular paper and electronic newsletters, which provide in-depth commentary on a wide variety of interesting aspects of the Surrey Hills.  You also receive our regular mail chimps that alert you to the events that are organised by the Society for its members.

In addition, the AONB is now publishing a more regular e-newsletter ‘News from the Surrey Hills’ that will highlight the work of the entire Surrey Hills Family.  It’s completely free and will be issued direct to your inbox every six weeks. If you wish to receive this simply click here to subscribe and start receiving updates, news and events from across the Surrey Hills.

PLEASE NOTE the Surrey Hills Society will not give your contact details to anyone without your prior consent.  For further information please see our privacy policy.

Surrey Hills Conservation Volunteer Coordinator

Salary: £20,000 – £24,000 pa (depending on experience) and usual benefits
Contract type: Employee (probationary period of 3 months).
Working Hours: 30 hours per week (flexible). Evening and weekend work will be required at times.
Location: Across the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with an office base in Dorking.
Closing date: 5:00 pm Wednesday 16 June 2021.

An exciting new role where you can make a real difference to nature conservation and access in the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The Conservation Volunteer Coordinator will be responsible for working with charitable and similar organisations in Surrey with a view to engaging volunteers in delivering biodiversity and access projects across the nationally protected landscape of the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. You will engage, advise and support local communities and Parish Councils to take practical action to understand their local greenspaces and assist with habitat management for the benefit of biodiversity and human welfare.

Under your leadership volunteers will be coordinated to implement conservation activities on behalf of the newly created Surrey Hills Champions programme (see below).

You will report to the Chairman of the Surrey Hills Society, who will guide the coordination of programmes, effective communications and fundraising. Key stakeholders will be Surrey Wildlife Trust and the Surrey Hills AONB Board. You will work closely with both organisations. Other stakeholders include The National Trust, The Conservation Volunteers (TCV), the Surrey Association of Local Councils (SALC) and other members of the Surrey Hills family.

The successful candidate will possess a passion for the environment, be able to enthuse and motivate others, and enjoy sharing knowledge and engaging others from a variety of backgrounds. If you have the ability to lead others successfully, particularly in the context of volunteers which requires consideration, motivation and focus to achieve results, we need you to join our team. An out-going, personable and friendly personality with the ability to work with a wide range of people and experience of fundraising is essential.

The job will involve being outdoors and undertaking practical tasks therefore a driving licence and your own vehicle is essential as not all locations can easily be accessed by public transport. A mileage allowance will be paid.

The full job profile and person specification can be found here and you can access the application form here.

Please apply using the application form to Gordon Jackson, Chairman of the Surrey Hills Society     Email: chairshs@gmail.com by 5pm on Wednesday 16th June.

About the Surrey Hills
The Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is one of 46 nationally protected landscapes in the UK, having equal landscape status and protection to a national park. The Surrey Hills AONB stretches across a quarter of the county of Surrey and includes the chalk slopes of the North Downs from Farnham in the west to Oxted in the east and extends south to the deeply wooded Greensand Hills which rise in Haslemere. The Surrey Hills Board is a Joint Management Committe which is funded by Defra, Surrey County Council and the local authorities within the Surrey Hills area. The Surrey Hills AONB Board has established a Surrey Hills group of organisations (the Surrey Hills Family) to help support the delivery of the AONB Management Plan. For further information on the Surrey Hills please visit www.surreyhills.org

About the Surrey Hills Society
The Surrey Hills Society is an independent charity promoting the positive enjoyment and care of the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), encouraging people to explore and learn about the special qualities and distinctiveness of the area. The Society works in partnership with the Surrey Hills Family (Surrey Hills Board, Surrey Hills Enterprises, Surrey Hills Trust Fund and Surrey Hills Arts) to deliver the AONB Management Plan. Managed by a Board of Trustees, all of whom are volunteers, the Society have over 60 active volunteers. The Society organises a varied programme of talks and events and works closely with a range of partners to deliver projects across the Surrey Hills. For further information on the Surrey Hills Society please visit www.surreyhillssociety.org

About the Surrey Hills Champions Programme 

The Society and Surrey Hills Enterprises are developing a collaboration to deliver nature recovery projects in the Surrey Hills through the Champions Programme, which also aims to inspire and engage more people to support local sustainable businesses and connect consumers with Surrey Hills businesses, products and experiences. Champions will pay £25 a year and will receive exclusive offers and promotions from Surrey Hills Enterprises members. £10 of the £25 will support tree planting or other nature recovery projects by volunteers under the supervision and control of the Society. Champions will be able to attend an event to see what their money has supported.