Practical Conservation Days June-August 2019 Joining Instructions: Contact details •To book your place, please text the event leader at least the day To be added to the weekly practical conservation update before with your name. email (county-wide) or to register as a volunteer, contact the SWT Volunteering Team: •Arrive promptly – it is often difficult to find the work area. Online: surreywildlifetrust.org/volunteering •Wear suitable outdoor clothing (old trousers, long sleeve top) and stout footwear or wellies. Email: [email protected] •Children under 16 must be accompanied by a responsible Call: 01483 795464 adult. Those aged16 – 18 must have formal consent (form at Information correct at time of publication. Conservation surreywildlifetrust.org/volunteering) days might change due to unforeseen circumstances. For amendments and additional entries, visit •Take plenty to drink and a packed lunch. surreywildlifetrust.org/whatson. •Insurance cover is provided by Surrey Wildlife Trust. •No dogs allowed unless permission is given by the leader. Conservation day information: Listed postcodes are an approximate location only. Many reserves are isolated and some have limited or no parking. Weekday conservation days run from 10am - 3pm approx. For most days, volunteers must make their own way to site. On Wednesdays, volunteers in the East of Surrey, meet at the Bothy (Norbury Park - RH5 6DN, TQ 170 540) at 9.15am for a lift by minibus (entries shaded if transport available), or volunteers can make their own way to site for 10am. Weekend conservation days run from 10am - 3pm (or 4pm if stated). Volunteers need to make their own way to site. JUNE ROYAL COMMON – Bracken bashing to ROYAL COMMON – Bracken bashing improve the diversity of the wood pasture and acid grassland. Stuart Fleming: 07799 to improve the diversity of the wood 10 MON pasture and acid grassland. Suzie Robson: 894154. Royal Common entrance on B3001. 07968 832507. Royal Common entrance Grid ref: SU 921 432. Nearest postcode: on B3001. Grid ref: SU 921 432. Nearest GU8 6LA 3 MON postcode: GU8 6LA CUCKNELLS WOOD – Bracken control PRIEST HILL – Site maintenance and to improve biodiversity in the woodland. path clearance to improve access. Stuart 11 TUES Ross Packman: 07968 832504. Car park off Fleming: 07799 894154. Site entrance Stroud Lane. Grid ref: TQ 040 430. Nearest off A240. Grid ref: TQ 227 609. Nearest postcode: GU5 0ST postcode: KT17 3BZ HACKHURST DOWN – Scrape creation SHEEPLEAS – TBC. Ross Packman: 07968 and maintenance to encourage calcareous 4 TUES 832504. Meeting location TBC plant species and increase abundance 12 WED of butterflies such as the small blue. Jon STAFFHURST WOODS – Installing deer Wells: 07968 832516 The Bothy car park. ex-closure plots to monitor browsing Grid ref: TQ 170 540. Nearest postcode: pressure onsite and improving access and 5 WED RH5 6DN infrastructure. Jon Wells: 07968 832516. Grants Lane car park. Grid ref: TQ 227 609. BISLEY COMMON – Erecting electric Nearest postcode: TN8 6QR fencing compartment to allow for conservation grazing and maintain the PAPERCOURT MARSHES – Controlling condition of the acid grassland. Also invasive plants to improve diversity of 13 THURS installing bollards to prevent unlawful wetland and grassland habitats. Ross 6 THURS access to site. Ross Packman: 07968 Packman: 07968 832504. Layby on 832504. Bisley car park off Shaftesbury Tannery Lane. Grid ref: TQ 036 561. Nearest Road. Grid ref: SU 949 595. Nearest postcode: GU23 6JX postcode: GU24 9EP NEWLANDS CORNER – Litter pick. Ross ROYAL COMMON – Bracken bashing Packman: 07968 832504. Newlands to improve the diversity of the wood car park. Grid ref: TQ 042 492. Nearest pasture and acid grassland. Suzie Robson: 17 MON postcode: GU4 8SE 07968 832507. Royal Common entrance CHITTY’S COMMON – Ditch work, including on B3001. Grid ref: SU 921 432. Nearest digging out pendulous grass, litter picking, postcode: GU8 6LA 9 SUN clearing footpaths and the boardwalk if RODBOROUGH COMMON – Bracken necessary. Pauline Searle, 01483 825424. control to improve biodiversity in the Noticeboard at Rydes Hill Road at 10am. 18 TUES woodland. Jon Wells: 07968 832516. Car Those arriving by car please park at the park off Portsmouth Road. Grid ref: SU 939 Keens Lane end of the common and follow 418. Nearest postcode: GU8 5BL the footpath south to the meeting point. Grid ref: SU 978 523. Nearest postcode: GU3 3HL Page 1. NORBURY PARK – Controlling balsam to ELSTEAD COMMON – Clearing the line for enhance biodiversity along the river mole. an electric fencing compartment to allow Also repairing and replacing infrastructure. for conservation grazing and maintain the 19 WED 8 MON Jon Wells: 07968 832516. 9.45am Bothy condition of the heathland. Suzie Robson: car park. Grid ref: TQ 170 540. Nearest 07968 832507. Moat car park. Grid ref: SU postcode: RH5 6DN 898 414. Nearest postcode: GU8 6LW CHOBHAM COMMON – Preparing electric COOMBE BOTTOM – Removing ex-closure fencing compartment to allow for fencing and replacing infrastructure. Jon conservation grazing and maintain the 9 TUES Wells: 07968 832516. West Hanger, Staple 20 THURS condition of the heathland. Ross Packman: Lane car park. Grid ref: TQ 069 492. Nearest 07968 832504. Jubilee mount car park. postcode: GU5 9TD Grid ref: SU 972 644 Nearest postcode: HOWELL HILL – Controlling invasive plants GU24 8TU to improve biodiversity of calcareous HEDGECOURT – Controlling Himalayan 10 WED grassland. Ross Packman: 07968 832504. balsam to improve biodiversity of riparian Cuddington Way. Grid ref: TQ 239 616. habitat; clearing paths and replacing Nearest postcode: SM2 7JB 21 FRI infrastructure to improve access. Suzie MANOR FARM – Controlling Himalayan Robson: 07968 832507. 9.30am Bay Pond, balsam to improve biodiversity of riparian off Godstone High Street. Grid ref: TQ 351 11 THURS habitat. Suzie Robson: 07968 832507. 516. Nearest postcode: RH9 8DT Mill Lane. Grid ref: TQ 068 608. Nearest ROYAL COMMON – Bracken bashing postcode: KT14 7RT to improve the diversity of the wood NEWDIGATE BRICKWORKS – Site pasture and acid grassland. Suzie Robson: 24 MON maintenance. Ross Packman: 07968 07968 832507. Royal Common entrance 14 SUN 832504. Car park on Mulberry Place. Grid on B3001. Grid ref: SU 921 432. Nearest ref: TQ 203 425. Nearest postcode: RH5 postcode: GU8 6LA 5DN WHITMOOR COMMON – Controlling ELSTEAD COMMON – Setting up electric Himalayan balsam to improve biodiversity fencing compartment to allow for of riparian habitat. Jon Wells: 07968 conservation grazing and maintain the 25 TUES 15 MON 832516. Jolly Farmer car park on condition of the heathland. Suzie Robson: Burdenshott Road. Grid ref: SU 987 542. 07968 832507. Moat car park. Grid ref: SU Nearest postcode: GU3 3RN 898 414. Nearest postcode: GU8 6LW HILL PARK – Controlling invasive plants SHEEPLEAS – Controlling invasive plants to improve biodiversity of calcareous to improve biodiversity of calcareous grassland and installing fencing. Jon 16 TUES 26 WED grassland. Jon Wells: 07968 832516. Wells: 07968 832516. Lay-by on Chestnut Meeting location TBC Avenue. Grid ref: TQ 417 559. Nearest postcode: TN16 2DG HACKHURST DOWN – Scrape creation/ maintenance and controlling invasive CHOBHAM COMMON – Erecting electric plants to encourage calcareous species fencing compartment to allow for 17 WED and increase abundance of butterflies such conservation grazing and maintaining the 27 THURS as the small blue. Ross Packman: 07968 condition of the heathland. Leader TBC. 832504. Bothy car park. Grid ref: TQ 170 Jubilee mount car park. Grid ref: SU 972 540. Nearest postcode: RH5 6DN 644 Nearest postcode: GU24 8TU PAPERCOURT MARSHES – Controlling invasive plants to improve diversity of wetland and acid grassland habitats. JULY 18 THURS Suzie Robson: 07968 832507. Layby on ROYAL COMMON – Bracken bashing to Tannery Lane. Grid ref: TQ 036 561. Nearest improve the diversity of the wood pasture postcode: GU23 6JX and acid grassland. Suzie Robson: 07968 832507. Royal Common entrance on B3001. BLINDLEY HEATH – Clearing ragwort to Grid ref: SU 921 432. Nearest postcode: GU8 enable grazing and improve the condition 6LA of the wet heath. Suzie Robson: 07968 19 FRI 1 MON 832507. 9.30am Bay Pond, off Godstone PRIEST HILL – Clearing invasive plants High Street. Grid ref: TQ 351 516. Nearest to reduce competition and improve postcode: RH9 8DT abundance and diversity of calcareous grassland species. Stuart Fleming: 07799 CHOBHAM COMMON – Litter pick. Ross 894154. Site entrance off A240. Grid ref: TQ 21 SUN Packman: 07968 832504. Roundabout car 227 609. Nearest postcode: KT17 3BZ park or Staple Hill car park (TBC). THUNDRY MEADOWS – Bracken bashing to ROYAL COMMON – Bracken bashing to improve the diversity of the grassland and improve the diversity of the wood pasture hunting for Himalayan balsam. Jon Wells: and acid grassland. Stuart Fleming: 07799 2 TUES 22 MON 07968 832516. Puttenham Top car park for 894154. Royal Common entrance on B3001. collection by minibus. Grid ref: SU 919 461. Grid ref: SU 921 432. Nearest postcode: GU8 Nearest postcode: GU3 1BE 6LA 3 WED No volunteer day due to staff training WHITMOOR COMMON – Controlling Himalayan balsam to improve biodiversity of OCKHAM COMMON – Clearing ragwort from riparian habitat. Jon Wells: 07968 832516. Snakes field to keep a wider diversity of 23 TUES Jolly Farmer car park on Burdenshott Road. species in the sward and ensure it is safe to 4 THURS Grid ref: SU 987 542. Nearest postcode: graze with livestock. Suzie Robson: 07968 GU3 3RN 832507. Pond car park, off Old Lane. Grid ref: TQ 079 583. Nearest postcode: KT11 1NA Page 2. NORBURY PARK – Controlling balsam to WISLEY COMMON – Replacing fence posts enhance biodiversity along the river mole. to improve security of livestock, allowing Also repairing and replacing infrastructure. for continued grazing on the heathland. 24 WED Ross Packman: 07968 832504. 9.45am Jon Wells: 07968 832516. Old car park on Bothy car park. Grid ref: TQ 170 540. Nearest 8 THURS the track to Pond Farm. Contact Jon for the postcode: RH5 6DN padlock code.