Minutes:
The Committee was informed that Surrey Wildlife Trust (SWT) had been founded in 1959. SWT was the only organisation concerned solely with the conservation of all forms of wildlife in Surrey. It focused on 3 main areas: land management, research and education. SWT was part of a network of 47 wildlife trusts across the UK.
SWT had acquired its first land in 1965. It had been working with the Council since 1988 in managing Brentmoor Heath, which the Council had purchased from the MoD the previous year. In 2002 SWT had taken on management of Surrey County Council’s 3500 hectares countryside estate. In 2006 it had further expanded the land it managed when it signed an agreement with the MoD to manage its land for conservation within the county. It had also started a farming operation to sustainably manage the areas in 2007.
Members were advised that SWT was the largest land manager in the county, managing 8000 hectares of land, approximately 5% of the whole land area of Surrey. The land managed by SWT received millions of public visits per year, with 1000 volunteers providing 10,000 days’ work per year. It was noted that SWT’s work did extend slightly outside the Surrey boundary. It was also reported that the organisation was one of the major deliverers of conservation management on the Special Protection Area.
Members were informed about the organisation’s work within the borough, which included
· Management of Brentmoor Heath reserve. Areas of work included tree removal to open up the areas of heath and work with volunteers to undertake scrub control across the area.
· The introduction of grazing on a range of sites in the borough, including Barossa Common.
· There was a high level stewardship scheme in place at Lightwater Country Park. Work included addressing an area of encroaching scrub and gorse; SWT had provided cattle and more recently introduced goats to address this problem.
· Making hay on Council land in Chobham
· The operation of some of its largest nature reserves were within the Surrey Heath area
The Committee was advised that SWT had carried out educational work for over 40 years. It had 2 education centres which were attended by over 15,000 children each year and was increasingly carrying out educational outreach work in schools and other areas beyond its 2 centres.
It was reported that SWT’s research work was developing. It had recently published a paper in a journal on the effects of grazing on heathland. The organisation was also in the process of forming a partnership with the University of Surrey’s Veterinary School.
The Committee was advised that SWT’s future goals were to make the quality of its existing nature reserves as high as possible and maximise the bio diversity of these reserves. Members were further advised that SWT was always interested in discussing the possibilities of either physically managing more land or being involved in advice on how to manage areas. It also had a long term desire to stay involved in the management of Brentmoor Heath and would welcome opportunities to work with the Council further.
Members recognised the need to increase education and awareness about the organisation’s work and objectives. It was agreed to further consider ways the Council could assist with promoting the organisation and its aims.
RESOLVED that
(i) the presentation be noted; and
(ii) officers be asked to further investigate ways in which the Council could assist with promoting Surrey Wildlife Trust’s work and objectives.
Note 1: In accordance with the Members’ Code of Conduct, Cllr Chris Pitt declared a non-pecuniary interest as he was a life member of Surrey Wildlife Trust.
Note 2: It was noted for the record that
(i) Cllr Paul Deach declared that he carried out media work on behalf of Surrey Wildlife Trust, although and he had not received any payment from the Trust for his work; and
(ii) Cllr John Winterton declared that Surrey Wildlife Trust managed a piece of land for which he was a Trustee.