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The River Mole and its tributary streams are a vital component of the 4B’s landscape and it supports an extensive network of interlinked habitats and ecosystems. The valley also comprises the most diverse mix of habitats including the river itself, the tributary streams, standing waterbodies, banksides, woodland, scrub, hedgerows, mixed farmland, and managed areas such as golf-courses, gardens, greens and commons. The river and its itributaries are classed as a Biodiversity Opportunity Area because of the variety of habitats, plants and animals they support and the potential for enhancing biodiversity. The river and streams, when in a healthy condition, support a complex web-of-life within and around them. Plants in the river provide food and shelter for invertebrates, including fly larvae, as well for fish and, as food, for birds such as ducks and swans. The smaller invertebrates provide food for larger invertebrates (such as crayfish) and vertebrates including fish and amphibians. These, in turn, provide food for birds, including kingfishers and heron, and mammals such as mink (which we hope will one day be replaced by our native otter). When the aquatic fly larvae hatch into adult flies they become food for fish, birds and mammals including bats. There are few lovelier places to be than by a healthy stream on a summer evening watching fish and bats feeding on hatching and egg-laying flies.   The stream-side vegetation, when free of invasive species, will have a diverse range of plants which provide homes, feeding and resting places for a host of animals. The tree-like network of tributary streams and connected ditches allow this richness and diversity to reach all areas of the river valley. The main river forms a natural corridor, allowing the movement of species from upstream to downstream and vice versa. Such natural corridors are vital in a time of climate change where plant and animal populations will need to be able to respond to changing conditions by shifting their distribution within the country. The River Mole and its tributary streams are a vital component of the 4B’s landscape but many of the habitats and ecosystems have been degraded by pollution and human activities. A concerns for the quality of water in the river and a desire to campaign and act for improvement has inspired a group of volunteers to form River Mole River Watch - a charity whose purpose is to connect individuals and groups who care about the river, to work together to return it to a good ecological state for wildlife, plants and people. Restoring the river and its tributary streams to a healthy condition is essential to the 4Bs Biodiversity Initiative goal of a healthy, biodiverse landscape, rich in habitats that enable wildlife to flourish. River Mole River Watch volunteers already sample the main river and tributaries of the Mole - Tanners Brook, Betchworth Brook, Shag Brook, Gad Brook and Wallace Brook - for the monthly Catchment-wide ‘citizen science’ water quality testing programme. Their data can inform the habitat monitoring activities of the 4Bs biodiversity initiatove. Further information about River Mole River Watch, including their latest water quality monitoring data, can be found at: https://www.rivermoleriverwatch.org.uk/ Nigel Bond River Mole River Watch Trustee World Rivers Day worldriversday.com/ will be celebrated on Sunday September 22 this year. It brings people together to raise awareness about the importance of rivers and how they are threatened by human activities.
Surrey Wildlife Trust are offering 'Wildlife Recording Kits' - boxes filled with surveying equipment to help community groups undertake species monitoring on sites from gardens and churchyards, local green spaces, and woodlands. The kits are available to borrow (free of charge) from the Trust’s head office in Pirbright, from What Next? (Godalming Library of Things), or ZERO Carbon (Guildford Library of Things). Surrey Wildlife Trust's Wildlife Recording Kits can be reserved for one or two weeks at a time.
With one-third of our local species in trouble, Surrey Wildlife Trust are on a mission to encourage more people to take action to protect and provide homes for native plants and animals. Their kits can help you identify what wildlife live and grow in your area, from mini beasts to plants, to small mammals. The results will enable community groups to make informed land management decisions that benefit nature. After surveying your area you may opt to put up signage to encourage people not to walk on wildflowers, instal bird feeders filled with suitable food for a particular species, instal bat boxes, plant hedgerows to support butterflies and moths, or create ponds for newts. The following kits are available:
If you're interested in becoming a member of Surrey Wildlife Trust, you can join online on their website, here's a link. Visit Surrey Wildlife Trust's website to find out more about the equipment they have available. . Editor This is such a good idea that perhaps our biodiversity initiative should consider purchasing equipment or toolkits to help the 4B communities with their own biodiversity projects. In 2023 Brockham-based Sorbus Leaning undertook a biodiversity mapping and enhancement project for Brockham Parish Council. It was called the ‘Parish Nature Reserve it was funded by the Orchid Environmental Trust Fund. A key aspect of the project was persuading the Parish Council to stop mowing the banks and ditches around Big Field. A base-line survey of the banks and ditches adjacent to Brockham Lane & Kiln Lane in the summer of 2023, recorded 61 species of wildflower growing in those unmown areas. The survey was repeated in 2024 and another 7 species were identified. This is a good example of how you can encourage an increase in biodiversity by NOT doing something, whilst saving money too! Thank you to Paul Ritchie Sorbus Learning for sharing his survey report |
4Bs Nature Group BlogThis blog is maintained by the 4Bs Biodiversity Initiative Team. Its purpose is to provide brief updates of activities and encourage the sharing of experiences and learning. We welcome guests and contributions from members of the 4Bs WhatsApp Nature Group and wider community. To contribute a post please email the editor at biodiversityinititiative1 @gmail.com PagesArchives
January 2026
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