With evidence of a climate and nature crisis becoming clearer every day, Surrey Wildlife Trust is inviting community groups across the county to a series of webinars packed with inspirational ideas for how to create local habitats and give wildlife a helping hand.
Starting this autumn, the webinars are part of the Trust’s mission to bring local people together to bring nature into everyone’s daily life, wherever they live and whatever their backgrounds, beliefs or interests. By sharing knowledge and examples from existing community groups – including residents’ associations, ‘friends of’ groups, and Parish councils - as well as providing expert presentations, the webinars will demonstrate how simple actions can help create a joined-up network of habitats that will enable wildlife, plants and people to flourish across Surrey.
Recent wildfires and drought and ongoing reductions in species from swifts to frogs to butterflies have shown that Southern England is rapidly feeling the effects of a changing climate and a reduction in habitats. But whether it’s a community wildflower garden, a restored pond or river or some native trees in a playground, biodiverse environments are easy to create and have clear health, mental health and economic benefits for people of all ages. They also provide vital services such as flood prevention, pollination or carbon storage.
Claire Courtier, Community Engagement Manager at Surrey Wildlife Trust says:
“At Surrey Wildlife Trust we are working extremely hard to ensure wildlife is protected, but we can not do it alone. If we are to help our wildlife to survive, the answer must come from within the local community – it needs to involve everybody, everywhere. Our job as Surrey Wildlife Trust is to bring people together and provide the connections and the inspiration people need to get started, and that’s what these webinars are about. Please join our drive to make Surrey a place that gives nature a chance to fight back and make all our lives safer, healthier, and more enjoyable.”
The first webinar, on 11th October from 5.30pm – 7.15pm will hear from speakers including Keith Lightfoot, a leading player in the Unstead Nature Community Group which manages the 25-acre Unstead Nature Reserve on behalf of Thames Water. Keith will discuss the achievements and challenges of working to create a diverse rural wetland for nature, and he will highlight many of the hundreds of species from grass snakes to water rails that now thrive on the reserve thanks to the work of a core group of around 15 volunteers.
The webinars will showcase many more examples of people in Surrey coming together to work for nature, with the aim of getting more people involved in volunteering for nature.
SWT trustee Chris Howard (who is also Vice Chair of the Surrey Association of Local Councils) has worked as part of the local community in Wonersh and Shamley Green over the past three years to develop two new village environment groups - each with their own Biodiversity action plans and websites. Their work has included detailed agreements with both Waverley Borough Council and Wonersh Parish Council on changing the way the local commons are managed. Specialist groups have been created to manage and develop a management plan for trees and ponds, new mowing regimes, the creation of wildflower meadows and the management of ditches and other maintenance work to increase biodiversity and reduce flooding. As part of the Queens Green Canopy Jubilee project a number of trees and a hedgerow have been planted in each of the villages.
Chris Howard says:
“It is one thing to decide to plant some trees, but securing sign off from councils, carrying out consultation with residents and agreeing which trees go where and how these trees will be looked after in the first few vulnerable years is another. However, it is more than worth it. Our experiences of working with local councils and other village groups to develop these action plans will hopefully assist other communities trying to make a difference.”
Husband and wife Noureen and Khalid Chaudery of Whyteleafe Community Centre have inspirational plans to create an Islamic Garden, where members of the Muslim and other communities can relax and unwind and to engage with nature. It will be a space for learning and education with a focus on health and wellbeing – both mental and physical. Building on a long tradition of Islamic Gardens, plans also include a vegetable patch and orchard for children and adults to grow and learn about food with a focus on taking ownership and responsibility for the yield, and a walk and exercise space with paths around the site.
Surrey Wildlife Trust’s CEO Sarah Jane Chimbwandira will discuss the current biodiversity crisis, while Bryony Carter from the The Wildlife Trusts will talk about the central role that communities can play in tackling this crisis, and how Trusts support and encourage this activity.