Agenda item

To receive a presentation from Ruth Shelton, Natural England, on the work of the Strategic Access Management and Monitoring (SAMM) Project Team since the Board’s last meeting.

Ruth Shelton, Strategic Access Management and Monitoring (SAMM) Project Manager, Natural England, gave a presentation in respect of the work taking place as part of the SAMM project.  The presentation summarized the project team’s activities since the Board’s last meeting on 22^nd June 2022 and included updates on staffing, wardening activity, educational work and monitoring activity.

It was reported that recruitment for next year’s seasonal wardens was now underway with the expectation that the SAMM Team would recruit 6 full time seasonal wardens to work between 1^st March 2023 to 1^st September 2023.  Recruitment for both seasonal and year round roles in 2022 had been difficult both for the SAMM Team and the wider conservation sector during the past year and work was taking place to explore how potential applicants might be encouraged to apply for roles within the SAMM Team in future years for example through the use of job shadowing and work experience; notwithstanding this a number of seasonal wardens that had worked on the SAMM Project previously had expressed interest in working for the team again in 2023.

Between June 2022 and September 2022 a total of 1,826.72 hours of wardening activity had been delivered, the wardening team had 5,537 interactions with members of the public and 27 pitstops and 49 events had been held across the TBH area.  In July 2022 the number of interactions had been almost double those in 2019, 2,415 compared to 1,311 with only 12% more hours wardened in 2022 compared to 2019.

Heath Week 2022 which had run from 25^th to 31^st July 2022 had again been popular; over the course of the week, 27 events had been hosted by both the SAMM Team and partners.  In late October Halloween events were held in Yateley, Wildmoor Heath and Lightwater Country Park and the Team would be working with Surrey County Council to run Christmas Wreath making workshops across the area. Looking forward to 2023, work was underway to progress Heath Week 2023 and the Team was working with Surrey Fire and Rescue Service on Easter Fire Week, a new venture aimed at raising awareness of wild fires.  Following complaints about litter, originating from open bins in HMP Coldingley in Bisley, blowing across Bisley Common, a litter pick had been held and one of the seasonal wardens had worked with the Prison Governor to find a solution to the problem including moving the bins inside the prison fence line and the employment of a full time litter picker.

The Team was also developing better relationships on the ground with community volunteer groups including Horsell Common Preservation Society, Surrey Wildlife Trust at Whitmoor and Ockham and Surrey Countryside partnership at Bullswater and links had been made with the owner of a collection of vintage fire engines that would be displayed alongside modern fire engines at future wildfire awareness events, to ameliorate any disappointment if the Fire Service was required to attend an emergency and was not able to be present.

The Education Programme continued to be developed with 90 sessions being delivered to 3,145 children and adults between 1^st January and 31^st October 2022.  In October 2022, the Team participated in the Junior Citizen programme for the first time engaging with almost 700 children.

The Team was also looking at ways to develop the Access Management and Monitoring Partnership meetings and make them more valuable to partners.  The quarterly meetings with landowners and land managers provided partners with an opportunity for networking and education with hybrid meetings themed on a particular subject for example habitat development and wild fires. The last meeting had been attended by 23 people from 17 organanisations.  A closed area of the JSPB’s website had been developed specifically for partners and this had received positive feedback with Surrey County Council exploring the possibility of developing a similar area on their website.

Data collected from the visitor counters showed that whilst visitor numbers to the Special Protection Area (SPA) had fallen since the lifting of Government pandemic restrictions the number of visitors continued to be higher than pre-pandemic visitor numbers.  It was not yet clear whether the increase in numbers was due to an increase in the number of individuals visiting the SPA or whether it was due to a change in behaviour for example repeat visits from particular individuals; it was hoped that the 2023 visitor survey would help answer the question.

Arising from the Board’s questions and comments the following points were noted:

·         Concerns that the wrong stones had been used on the paths along the Esso pipeline which meant that horses were no longer able to use them and the new paths were wider than the ones they replaced were noted.  It was agreed that the matter would be followed up.

·         It was acknowledged that the education programme promoted the SPA which in turn would encourage people to visit however it was considered that educating people about the SPA would give them a greater understanding of the rarity of the habitat which in turn would encourage people to protect it.

·         It was confirmed that Heathland Hounds linked with Fire Service Dog wardens and the K9 patrols. 

·         It was agreed that data on the use of Chobham Common would be shared with Councillor Wheeler.

The Board noted the update and commended the work of the SAMM Team.