Merry Christmas

December 2024

Dear Supporter,

As we approach the end of 2024, we wanted to thank you for your ongoing support to Banstead Commons. It has been wonderful to see our support grow even further this year and we would like to use this opportunity to share some of the highlights that have made it so special.

Volunteers

We now have more volunteers and work parties than ever. This has enabled us to better protect and preserve our habitats that require more sensitive management. Volunteer tasks have included clearing lowland heath glades of woody scrub, tree popping, scything the historic stock enclosures and the removal of invasive species.

Our volunteer stock checkers have played a vital role in helping us to increase the conservation grazing programme on our two Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Banstead Downs and Park Downs. Wildlife monitors also continue their specialist roles collecting valuable data from our sites that feed into national wildlife recording schemes.

Nature Detective Days

This year we hosted three Nature Detective Days on the Commons. They proved to be a great success and were attended by over 130 children and adults from nearly 40 different families. Activities included a Bug Hunt, Meet the Sheep (supported by the Downlands Partnership Grazing Team and Downlands Trust), Guess the age of the tree, Nature Walk and a Hedgerow Activity organised by the Tadworth and Walton Tree Wardens. We received some lovely feedback after the events, and the sheep were well-fed by the children too!

These events were made possible with thanks to Rebecca Paul MP and the Your Fund Surrey. We are looking for an event sponsor for next year so please let us know if you are aware of any local funders that we might be able to approach.

Thank yous

Banstead Commons Conservators are a small, grant-funded organisation with responsibility for a considerable area of protected land. We would like to acknowledge and say thank you to our private donors who give so generously, your financial support is much appreciated. With limited resources, there are also a few organisations that support us both financially and practically.

There are too many mention here, but we would like to say a special thank you to the following:

▪️Reigate and Banstead Borough Council and their Officers who continue to support us both financially and practically;

▪️Rebecca Paul MP for kindly supporting our Nature Detective Days and Pond Restoration Project on Banstead Heath;

▪️The Downlands Trust, Surrey Hills Society, Leatherhead Youth Project, Downlands Partnership Grazing Team, London and South West Surrey Branch of Butterfly Conservation, Farming in Protected Landscapes, Newt Conservation Partnership; and

▪️The fabulous local Resident Associations who kindly help with the promotion of our work through their newsletters and websites.

Looking ahead to 2025

Our guided walks continue to be well received. In addition to introducing new walks, our Fungi Foray and Winter Bird Walk, we also facilitated bespoke walks at the request of two local community groups. Next year’s programme of events is already planned and will be promoted on our website and social media pages in the new year.

Our Site Management Plans have recently finalised and will be published on our website in the new year. These documents detail our ambitious work programmes, which include the tasks for our volunteer work parties, and can be used to track the day-to-day management and habitat improvement projects across our four sites.

In addition to regular management, our focus next year is on the successful roll out of a new licence scheme for professional dog walkers. The scheme will help bring this commercial activity in line with others and ensure businesses who use the Commons are contributing financially to the preservation of our sites and their wildlife.

Banstead Commons Conservators have been managing the Commons for over 130 years. It is no secret that nationally, over that time, our native wildlife and habitats across the UK have been in decline. The UK has less than half of its original biodiversity remaining. We take our statutory duties to protect and preserve Banstead Commons seriously. We strive to make the Commons a special place for visitors to enjoy and to increase the biodiversity value of natural habitats for wildlife to thrive.

Thank you for your support – you help to make our work possible.

On behalf of the staff and Conservators at Banstead Commons, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!