 We have much to celebrate. We are privileged to live in a beautiful landscape full of wildlife and we live amongst people who appreciated, everyday, the beauty and diversity of wildlife. Last November, responding to a request from members of the Betchworth Forum, we set up our WhatsApp Nature group for people who live in and around Betchworth. Nearly 40 people joined the group in the first few weeks and it soon became a lively community for sharing photos, experiences and knowledge of nature with posts every few days. During the months that followed, a number of people living in Buckland, Brockham and Boxhill asked to join, and what is now the 4Bs Nature Group, has over 100 members. It’s fair to say that we are a thriving community with a shared love of nature, a keen interest in observing and learning about nature, and a concern for the health and vitality of our wildlife.
If you live in Buckland, Betchworth, Brockham or Box Hill, and you would like to join the WhatsApp Nature Group please text your number to 07810463403 Emerging from our shared love and concern for nature is a movement we are calling the 4Bs Biodiversity Initiative. It’s founded on a desire to not just admire and appreciate nature, but a willingness to help nature in useful, practical ways. The good news is we know that we can do something to help nature as individuals and as communities. The initiative is aiming to help the 4Bs community learn more about nature and encourage residents create new habitats for wildlife in their gardens. Our Gardening for Biodiversity project enabled 46 people to create new habitats for wildlife and help nature flourish by increasing the abundance and diversity of wildlife in their gardens. Our 4Bs Nature Magazine helps us tell and record the stories of how we are helping nature and recognise and celebrate the efforts and commitment of people who are participating in the project. By sharing their stories, others may be inspired. A great big thank you to everyone who contributed to the magazine. To read or download a free copy of the magazine CLICK HERE
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From the start of our biodiversity initiative we knew that many residents in the 4Bs were already helping nature flourish through their self-initiated projects and we wanted to find out more. After each Gardening for Biodiversity talk we invited participants to complete a questionnaire designed by Paul Ritchie to identify what residents were doing in their own gardens to help nature (Table 1).  A total of 51 questionnaires were completed each representing a separate household/garden. The data was entered into an Excel spreadsheet for each part of the 4Bs. The percentages under the five categories (Food, Shelter, Water, Connectivity, Gardening for Nature) refer to the percentage of "yes" ticks under each heading on the questionnaire. So eight ticks out of the ten categories in 'Food' is recorded as 80%. The data show that across all 4 B's:
Conclusion Because of their attendance at the talk, most of the people who answered the questionnaire were already likely to be champions for nature. However, we might also conclude from these initial results that there is considerable space for doing more. Why not treat yourself to a beautiful container from one of our fabulous local garden centres and make a container pond ready for spring. You’ll be amazed by how quickly wildlife arrives. And if you want to burn off some Christmas calories then you could dig a new pond instead. Happy Gardening for Nature. Bekki Morgan Invitation to contribute to the survey If you are a resident of the 4Bs and you would like to contribute to our community survey you can download the survey form here, Please complete and return to [email protected] 
The Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Boundary Variation Project Consultation Analysis Report was published in July. The boundary changes affect the Betchworth and Buckland area (see map below). 40 responses were received from Betchworth and Mole Valley area to the proposed boundary changes. Over 90% were supportive of the extension but about 80% of responses were yes but offering alternative boundary suggestions. The only addition to the proposed boundary in the 4Bs area is the inclusion of a small sliver of land east of Shag Brook. 93% of respondents agreed that it is appropriate to classify the proposed extension as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and 91% of respondents believed the area contained within the proposed boundary (shown in green in the map below) should be designated as part of the Surrey Hills AONB / Surrey Hills National Landscape. Living immediately west of the western boundary of the proposed change, in an area that I believe is more beautiful than the area to the east that lies within the boundary: it all seems very arbitrary to me. The Report and Maps can be accessed here 
  Our latest Gardening for Biodiversity talk, given by local ecologist Paul Ritchie on the theme of ‘Creating Garden-Scale Woodland Habitats,’ attracted a good audience from across the 4Bs. Drawing on his own gardening for nature project and over 40 years experience of woodland management he shared his approach to creating garden scale woodland habitats.  A key take-away was that woodland gardening is NOT about planting a woodland in your garden. Rather, it’s about understanding how woodland ecology works in the UK and applying those principles to your garden planting. By understanding the ecology we are more likely to create a healthy woodland habitat within which wildlife can flourish. One of the most important principles is layering. By using trees, shrubs and other plants we can fill a 3 dimensional space with plants that will thrive at all levels. He also offered advice on the native trees, shrubs and other plants we should consider when creating a garden with a small scale woodland habitat. Pauls powerpoint slides are posted below together with a recording of his talk
The second meeting of the 4Bs Biodiversity Forum was held on October 9th at the Surrey Wildlife Trust Education Centre, Nower Wood. The Forum contains representatives from the 4Bs Parish and Neighbourhood Councils, Mole Valley District Council, Surrey County Council, Surrey Wildlife Trust, National Trust, Surrey Hills National Landscape, and significant Landowners. The group has been formed to evaluate the idea of a Biodiversity Park for the 4Bs area.
In August-September Forum members had participated in a consultation exercise aimed at evaluating the proposal for a Biodiversity Park. The consultation showed less than unanimous support for the idea of designating the area as a “Park”, but agreement that cooperation across the 4Bs area would help in conserving wildlife at a landscape scale. In the interests of inclusivity an alternative idea had been proposed namely a Biodiversity Initiative. Taking the initiative is about people and organisations voluntarily deciding to take ownership for a problem or opportunity and working together to make something positive happen. The Forum agreed that 4Bs Biodiversity Initiative was the right concept around which to develop a network of people and organisations who cared enough about nature to give some of their time and energy to participate in activities that support nature recovery. At the May meeting of the Forum it had been suggested that an Inventory of existing activities and projects relating to biodiversity across the 4Bs area would be a useful asset. Simon Humphreys from the Biodiversity Initiative Team had used the idea to start creating a map-based inventory using the Google Maps platform. Simon gave a live demonstration at the October meeting and it stimulated many questions and suggestions from Forum members which will be used in the next stage of development. In the final part of the meeting, team member Simon Fellowes posed the what next? question. Forum members grouped into Parish and District Councils, Environmental NGO’s and Landowners, were invited to identify 3 priority actions, linked to the aims for the initiative, that could form the basis of an emergent plan of action. An important part of the process was to identify who might own the action. The question of what resources are needed to achieve the aims of the initiative is clearly important and possible funding sources will be explored going forward. But it was also recognised by members that much can be achieved with relatively little financial resource by people who are motivated, resourceful and knowledgeable. Finding the advocates, enthusiasts and experts who are willing to invest time and energy is often the biggest challenge, rather than funding. We celebrate the progress made in building a network of nature enthusiasts, activists and experts through the 4Bs Nature WhatsApp Group. The meeting only lasted 2 hours but it covered a lot of ground. Once again the meeting demonstrated the value in bringing people together to learn from each other, stimulate conversation and ideas, and create better understanding and new working relationships through which new and unexpected things will surely emerge. The Forum will meet again on March 5th 2025 exactly one year after the project began. The ultimate goal of the project is to bring people and organisations together to see if they can find a way to build an alliance and practical partnership with the residents and communities of the 4Bs to help nature and improve biodiversity. At the final meeting of the Forum under the current one year project to develop the concept, the decision will be made by members to either continue the initiative as it is currently configured, or adapt its configuation (perhaps with fewer or more members) or to close it in its current form. But one thing is sure – things will never be the same again in the 4Bs. A new movement for nature has been started. Guest Post by Paul Ritchie Sorubus Learning I wanted to share with you some thinking, which is born out of 30 years experience of open space management and 40 years conserving woodlands and ancient trees. Anyone who has attended one of my tree courses knows that I'm fiercely opposed to most tree planting schemes in the UK, such as Surrey County Councils plans e.g. Surrey County Council has set an ambitious target of planting 1.2 million trees in Surrey by 2030. That is one tree for every resident in the county. This is a totally riduculous target because using traditional UK tree planting methodology there just isn't the space for that many mature trees! Experience has shown me that most UK tree planting schemes fail with a disgustingly high failure rate because of a lack of understanding of tree biology and basic ecological knowledge in those planning and planting trees. This is compounded by the fact that often such schemes and forestry projects are delivered on green spaces that feature other biodiversity interest such as species-rich grassland, heath and moorland. Colleagues from my previous role as Head Ranger of Ashtead Common NNR have shown me using readily available mapping tools that it's impossible to plant 1.2 million trees in Surrey using current established methods. So not being one to being one to give up I've done some research and would like to suggest two opportunities to tackle the key issues of a lack of space, tree mortality and lack of natural biodiversity. The first should not be a surprise as many conservation organisations already recommend this for improving biodiversity and amenity value of green spaces... hedge planting, which requires native fruit and nut bearing trees and shrubs to be planted in a double row of planting with about 6-8 trees/shrubs every metre. Please see attached guidance.  The second may not be familiar to you and is named after the Japanese botanist Dr Akira Miyawaki, the method involves careful soil preparation and densely planting a range of native woodland plants that are beneficial to wildlife on an area usually around the size of a tennis court. This method is one of the most effective tree planting methods and creates biodiverse 'wooded' habitat quickly with trees and shrubs growing much faster with higher survival rates (95% vs 75% in current methods at their best) with higher biodiversity recorded in shorter time spans. Please see my second attachement.  I strongly believe that the best way forward for local Parish Councils and their communities is to adopt one or both of the above recommended approaches to responding to climate change and impending crash of biodiversity in UK and Surrey. It is a more cost effective approach with enhanced outcomes for wildlife and people, which can help engage local people in their own hedgerow and/or 'Miyawaki Woodland' perhaps renamed Heritage or Coronation Woodland to win over residents, landowners and funders. There are plenty of existing funding streams for hedgerow and woodland planting in UK.
Paul is a biologist and nature activist. He is contributing to the Gardening for Biodiversity community project.. His next talk is on the subject of woodland management. GARDENING FOR BIODIVERSITY TALK Thursday 17 October ‘Creating Garden-Scale Woodland Habitats’ Paul Ritchie Betchworth Village Hall 7.30-8.30pm Earlier this year Paul Ritchie inspired nearly 40 people to have a go at creating new habitats for wildlife in their gardens across the 4Bs. In this talk he will draw upon 30 years of experience in open space management and 40 years conserving woodlands and ancient trees, to suggest ways in which we might create small-scale woodland habitats in our own gardens. The talk will consider 'forest gardening' as a method of making space for nature, growing food and creating a restful haven for people ... a true ARK. To reserve a place please email [email protected]. This Gardening for Biodiversity Talks are for residents of Buckland, Betchworth, Brockham and Box Hill Re-Betchworth's Applefest was a lively affair this year with several hundred visitors during the afternoon to watch the annual pressing of apples. The 4Bs Biodiversity Initiative was invited to share what we are doing and Bekki Morgan hosted a table with posters, postcards and free packets of seed for our 1 square metre of wildflower meadow campaign. She also displayed in maginfting jars, a wonderful selection of insect skeletons she had found in her garden. These were a fantastic hit with the children many of whom had not seen a dragonfly close up. As a result several new members were added to the Nature WhatsApp Group and to our Gardening for Biodiversity project. As a bonus we were interviewed by Peter Stewart who is producer and presenter of the Planet Reigate Podcast https://theplanetreigatepodcast.com/ Thanks to everyone who said hello and to Bekki for a great show. 
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. |
BlogThis blog is maintained by the 4Bs Biodiversity Initiative Team. Its purpose is to provide brief updates of activities and interactions as the project unfolds. We also welcome posts from members of the 4Bs WhatsApp Nature Group and wider community. PagesArchives
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