Protecting and enhancing the biodiversity of the borough's beautiful green spaces is important for tackling climate change. As well as providing us with food and clean water, the natural environment stores carbon, regulates the climate and provides natural protection from flooding and erosion.
The Council owns and manages around 3,000 acres of rich and diverse countryside, including three Sites of Special Scientific Interest and some very rare and important habitats:
- Ancient woodlands, such as Banstead Woods - thought to have been woodland since the end of the last ice age (about 12,000 years ago)
- Chalk downland, such as Reigate Hill, Chipstead Downs, Stagbury Downs, Banstead Wildlife Field and Hooley Meadows, is good for spotting butterflies, birds and orchids
- Lowland heath, such as Reigate Heath, is one of our most threatened habitats
Here are some ideas for where to go and free activities for the summer.
Ideas to 'go wild' and useful links
Activities
- Explore the borough on foot with these walking trails
- Go bat spotting at dusk using this flight identification guide (Natural History Museum)
- Take part in the Big Butterfly Count, which starts in July.
- Create your own wildlife garden with RSPB's wild garden ideas (RSPB)
- Grow a wildflower window box (The Guardian)
- Feed and water the birds to attract them to your garden (Wildlife Watch)
- Become a bird spotter with the RSPB's identify a bird guide
- Become a bug detective - just one of Wildlife Watch's activities to try
- Name the trees around you using this British trees guide (The Woodland Trust)
- Start home composting with tips from the Surrey Environment Partnership
- Read the People's Plan for Nature (peoplesplanfornature.org) and consider the calls to action
Learn more
- Read our community tree planting guide
- Learn about butterfly friendly gardening (Butterfly Conservation)
- Learn how to spot trees with the Woodland Trust's guide to British trees
- Learn how to attract bats and moths to your garden (Wildlife Watch)
- Learn more about bats, including how to encourage them to your garden (Bat Conservation Trust)
- Learn about biodiversity in churchyards with the Church of England
- Find out more about Reigate Heath
- Find out more about Earlswood Common
Join
- Become a green spaces volunteer and help look after our parks and countryside
- Volunteers from the Woodchips Volunteer group have produced pictorial guides to wildlife found in Banstead Woods and Chipstead Downs