Chobham Common

Chobham Common is the largest National Nature Reserve in the south-east of England and one of the finest remaining examples of lowland heath in the world. Heathlands are one of the most ancient and characteristic British landscapes, originally created by prehistoric farmers. For over 200 generations rural communities have carefully managed this stunning open countryside resulting in a wonderful, wildlife rich, patchwork of mini-habitats. The few surviving heathlands are very special places providing a living link to our stone-age past.

Chobham Common is recognised across Europe for its variety of bird life with over 100 different species having been recorded here. These include the very rare dartford warbler, the hobby and the nightjar.

Over 300 species of wild flower grow here. Sweeps of purple flowering heather and sweet scented gorse dominate the heathland whilst the wetlands harbour insect-eating sundews and rare marsh gentians. In mid-summer several species of native orchids can be found around the heathland verges.

In the undergrowth, water and the heathland vegetation there are frogs, toads, newts, adders, grass snakes, common and sand lizards, slow worms and 25 species of mammal. If you are quiet and tread softly you might see foxes, deer, and, if you are very lucky, rare water voles feeding by heathland ponds.

Chobham Common is recognised as one of the best British sites for insects and spiders. It is the premier site for ladybirds, bees and wasps. Some 29 species of butterfly live here, among them the rare silver studded blue, and 22 types of dragonfly hover and dart above the heathland pools.

It is the sheer range of habitats that provide this rare biodiversity. The expanses of heather are broken up by deep valley bogs, isolated pines and patches of grassland, gorse and silver birch. The 30 ponds contained within Chobham Common are fringed by mixed broad-leaved and pine woodlands.

A visitor guide and self-guided trail leaflet is available for this reserve.  Download your copy here.

MANAGEMENT PROPOSALS – CHOBHAM COMMON
May 2010

A high proportion of Chobham Common is in unfavourable ecological condition due to increasing amounts of grass suppressing heather and invasion of trees and scrub.  Surrey Wildlife Trust (SWT) has proposed a combination of heathland management techniques to address this, including scrub control, controlled winter heather burning, turf stripping as well as grazing.

These proposals follow a two year consultation process undertaken by SWT about the future management of the Common. The combination of proposed heathland management techniques for Chobham Common includes:

- mowing
- turf stripping and bare ground creation
- controlled winter heather burning
- grazing
- other heathland management practices like scrub and bracken control
- experimental trials of techniques used in the uplands

SWT is proposing grazing within up to six temporary electric paddocks for summer grazing and the Trust hopes to make an application to the Planning Inspectorate for these paddocks. The approximate position of these is shown on the attached plan.

It is intended to undertake ecological monitoring of all the management techniques to assess the results on the ground at Chobham Common.

In conjunction with an agreed plan of improvements for visitors SWT hopes this combination of habitat measures will enhance Chobham Common for people and wildlife.

If you would like more information please see the attached Management Proposals Document.


Further reading and information on the Chobham Common Consultation

Chobham Common Management Plan

Consultation Report Summary

SWT Response to Report

Full Report on the Consultation

Report Appendices

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