Road Verge HAP 2008-2013 Appendices

Road Verge HAP 2008-2013 Appendices

Appendix I – Habitats on road verges

Road verges are associated with nearly all Habitat Action Plans in Surrey.

Chalk grassland (including chalk scrub)

Associated mainly with the chalk of the North Downs.

Lowland heath (including acid grassland and bog)

Associated with the Surrey heaths.

Lowland unimproved neutral and dry acid grassland (meadows)

Associated with the low and high weald and the Thames basin

Urban (Wildlife on your doorstep)

Provides opportunities to improve areas where people live. Verges provide valuable links and corridors for wildlife through urban areas.

Standing open water and large reedbeds

Localised features throughout the network.

Woodland

Localised remnant areas of woodland and individual trees throughout the network

Wetland (rivers and streams, fen, marsh, swamp and linear reedbed)

Found primarily in association with boundary ditches, and other areas with remnant vegetation.

Wood pasture and parkland

Occasional remnant features such as parkland trees within the highway verge.

Floodplain grazing marsh

Possible areas of remnant vegetation

Farmland (including hedgerows)

Hedges on and alongside verges may be associated with farmland.

Priority Habitats

(Habitats of Principal Importance for Biodiversity under S.41 of the NERC Act 2006)

These Priority Habitats are found on road verges in Surrey:

• Ancient and/or species-rich hedgerows
• Floodplain grazing marsh
• Fen, marsh, swamp and reedbeds
• Lowland calcareous grassland (e.g. species rich chalk and limestone grasslands)
• Lowland heathland and / or dry acid grassland
• Lowland meadows (e.g. species-rich flower meadows)
• Lowland mixed deciduous woodland (ancient woodland)
• Lowland wood-pasture and parkland
• Rivers and streams (e.g. chalk streams)
• Standing open water and canals (e.g. lakes, reservoirs, ponds, aquifer fed fluctuating water bodies)

Appendix II –Species associated with road verges in Surrey

Road corridors can support a rich diversity of plants and animals and make a considerable contribution to biodiversity.

The Surrey Biodiversity Information Centre will work with County Recorders in Surrey to come up with a list of characteristic and priority species that occur on road verges in Surrey.

The list will be available from the Surrey Biodiversity Information Centre and the Surrey Biodiversity Partnership website.

Appendix III – Site and species designations, legislation and guidance

Site designations

Some road verges are part of larger sites designated for their value for biodiversity. Others are selected as Site of Nature Conservation Importance or a Conservation Verge. Any work carried out on road verges that are, or are adjacent to a designated or selected site should take into account the effect of that work on the verge.

• Special Protection Area (SPA – a European designated site)
• Special Area of Conservation (SAC – a European designated site)
• National Nature Reserve (NNR)
• Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)
• Local Nature Reserve (LNR)
• Site of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCI)
• Conservation Verge

www.magic.gov.uk contains GIS layers showing sites that are National Nature Reserves, Special Areas of Conservation and Sites of Scientific Interest.

Species designations

Over the past thirty years, numerous lists of the conservation status of species have been produced – Red Lists, Biodiversity Action Plan Priority Lists, species listed on European Directives, species listed on the Schedules of the Wildlife & Countryside Act – each produced for differing reasons, based on different criteria and with considerable overlap between each list. As a result, the relative status of a particular species can often be confusing. However, in recent years, determined efforts have been made to ensure constancy between different taxonomic groups with the adoption of internationally agreed criteria (the so called IUCN criteria) which provide a measure of how threatened a particular species is based on measures of population size and geographic range. Species thought to be rare or threatened at the UK level are assigned to one of six categories as follows;

• Extinct in the Wild - A species is Extinct in the Wild when it is known to survive only in cultivation, in captivity or as a naturalised population (or populations) well outside the past range.
• Critically Endangered - A species is Critically Endangered when it is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
• Endangered - A species is Endangered when it is facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild.
• Vulnerable - A species is Vulnerable when it is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
• Near Threatened - A species is Near Threatened when it has been evaluated against the criteria but does not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable now, but is close to qualifying for or is likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future.
• Least Concern - A Species is Least Concern when it has been evaluated against the criteria and does not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable or Near Threatened. Species can however be considered Nationally Scarce.

The process of review and revision of Red lists for each taxonomic group is currently ongoing and will take a number of years to complete. As a result earlier Red lists (based on previous versions of the IUCN criteria or produced before the general adoption of these standardised criteria) are still in use. These often include the use a number of different terms not described above and this is particularly true for many invertebrate groups for which lists of Nationally Scarce species (i.e. species considered be at lower threat level than those normally covered by the IUCN criteria) have also been produced.

• RDB 1 – Species in danger of extinction and whose survival is unlikely if the causal factors continue operating.
• RDB 2 – Species believed likely to move into the Endangered (RDB 1) category in the near future if all the causal factors continue operating.
• RDB 3 – Species which exist in only fifteen or fewer 10 Kilometre Squares of the National Grid system. These are Taxa with small populations that are not at present Endangered (RDB 1) or Vulnerable (RDB 2), but are at risk.
• RDBK – Taxa suspected to fall within the RDB categories but with too little information to allow confident assignment to particular category.
• Nationally Scarce - Notable/Na; species estimated to occur within 16-30 10-kilometre squares of the National Grid system.
• Nationally Scarce - Notable/Nb; species estimated to occur within 31-100 10 kilometre squares of the National Grid system.
• Nationally Local; species estimated to occur within 101-700 10 kilometre squares of the National Grid system.

In addition, the published list of UK Birds of Conservation Concern divides threatened species into two categories, Red and Amber, based on a number of criteria including change in population numbers and breeding range.

In 2007 the UK Government published an updated list of Priority species for conservation action as part of a review of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. Although the species included are based in part on the published Red Lists the criteria used does differ.

A comprehensive review of species status together with a downloadable spreadsheet of conservation designations for UK taxa can been found on the website of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC).

Finally, work is currently ongoing to assess the Surrey status of individual species. The Surrey Wildlife Atlas project co-ordinated by the Surrey Biodiversity Information Centre has published studies of a number of taxonomic groups. Future projects include the compilation of a Rare Plant Register for the County in partnership with the BSBI and the Surrey Botanical Society while the eleventh title in the Atlas series, Bees of Surrey, covering some 221 species, was published in 2008. Work is now ongoing to collate the information on species status and distribution contained in these works into a single list of Species of Conservation Importance for Surrey which aims to provide a comprehensive record of all nationally, regionally and locally important species currently recorded in the County.

Legislation and guidance

In addition a number of species also receive legal protection under various pieces of national / international legislation:

• Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended)
• Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000
• Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006
• Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c) Regulations 1994 (as amended)
• Wild Birds Directive (1979)
• Protection of Badgers Act 1992
• Town and Country Planning (Trees) Regulations 1999
• Hedgerows Regulations 1997
• The Planning and Compensation Act 1991
• UK Biodiversity Action Plan (comprised of Habitat Action Plans and Species Action Plans)
• Surrey Biodiversity Action Plan (comprised of Habitat Action Plans and Species Action Plans)
• Tree Preservation Orders (TPO’s) and Conservation Areas (under Town and Country Planning Act)
• Planning Policy Statement PPS 9 – Biological and Geological Conservation (2005)

Appendix IV –Conservation verges in Surrey

The following verges are the original Conservation Verges that were selected from 1968 to the early 1980’s. This list will be revised, along with other verges that have been identified as being valuable. A new list of selected conservation verges will be put together and will be put in MaPS (or equivalent), on the Surrey Biodiversity Partnership website, and will be held at the Surrey Biodiversity Information Centre.

This list is out of date and contains inaccurate information and descriptions, but is a useful reference point.

Verge name	Grid reference	Verge description	Species found
Buckland Road, Reigate	TQ242505	Reigate Heath, south side of A25, west of Flanchford Road. Area between 50mph sign and bus bay and approximately 2 metres wide	Creeping dog's tooth grass Cynodon dactylon
Burma Road, Longcross	SU980657	Adjacent to Chobham Common. From new roundabout, both sides of road to Longcross Halt. Rich flora of national importance. Nature Conservation Review Site, Local Nature Reserve and SSSI	Deptford pink Dianthus armeria, bee orchid Ophrys apifera, southern marsh orchid Dactylorhiza praetermissa
Stonehill Road, Chobham	SU993631 to SU995652	Both sides of road	General botanical interest
Valley End Road, Chobaham	SU955637 to SU959640	Both sides of road	General botanical interest
Lovelands Lane, Chobham	SU962610	Wide verges in Pennypot Lane and Lovelands Lane from their junction to Beldam Bridge and the Ford in the latter	Good flora including greater chickweed Stellaria neglecta and tubular water dropwort Oenanthe fistulosa
The Maultway, Camberley	SU909600 to SU909587	East side of Chobham Ridges	Chalk flora in a sandy area
Horsell Common Road, Horsell		Whole length of road, both sides from junction with Chobham Road to junction with South Road	Devil's bit scabious Succisa pratensis
Seale Lane, Seale	SU895479	Junction of Manor Fields and Pilgrims Way. Grass verge in front of footpath up to about 5 metres from crossroads to Sandy Cross	Good King Henry Chenopodium bonus-henricus
Old A3,Compton	SU955477	Old A3, west side of bridge over Pilgrims Way	Red-tipped cudweed Filago lutescens
Monk's Walk, Lower Bourne	SU857454 to SU859458	Both sides of road	Copse bindweed Fallopia dumetorum
Tilford Road 1, Churt	SU872395	North of 'Pride of the Valley', Halehouse Lane from 50 metres north of Thursley Road junction towards Tilford as far as entrance to 'The Moors' both sides of road	Green-flowered helleborine Epipactis phyllanthes
Tilford Road 2, Tilford	SU876419	30 metres south of entrance to 'Greenhills' west side of road as far as existing'bends' sign towards Churt	Green-flowered helleborine Epipactis phyllanthes
Stovolds Hill, Cranleigh (Old Guildford Road, Dunsfold)	TQ024381	B2130, north-west side of road from corner to approximately 100 metres north-eastwards	Early-purple orchid Orchis mascula
Highfield Lane, Thursley		Whole length	Good general spring flora
Prestwick Lane, Grayswood	SU924349 to SU835349	Prestwick Lane, south of Fowlshatch Copse	Violet helleborine Epipactis purpurata
A22, Godstone Hill, Godstone	TQ350533	Southbound carriageway, east side adjacent to layby. i) between North Downs Way and back of layby ii) adjacent to A22 carriageway centre of island iii) southbound back of layby to Quarry Road.	i) Bee orchid Ophrys apiferal, common spotted orchid Dactylorhiza fuchsii ii) Bee orchid Ophrys apiferal iii) Bee orchid Ophrys apiferal, pyramidal orchid Anacamptis pyramidalis

Appendix V- Recommended Management for Conservation Verges

The Road Verge HAP working group will work out further details regarding the cutting of Conservation Verges.

Cut A – April

For those verges with summer flowering species, and those that require 2 cuts

Cut B – August

For verges with species present during June and July

Cut C – September / October

For all other verges, and those that require 2 cuts.

General management principles

• Cuttings should be collected and either removed from the site or disposed of in an appropriate manner,
• Full width cuts where practical will prevent scrub invasion.
• Height of cut and machinery used should be considered.
• Check for Priority species such as amphibians and reptiles prior to major works. Contact the BIC or carry out surveys as appropriate.

Rural cuts

Full width cuts once every 3 years (where practical) on top of the standard cut, as specified in MaPS would benefit all rural verges.

Hedges

The preferred time of year for cutting hedges should be during the winter months to avoid the bird-nesting season, and also to allow any fruits such as berries to be available for birds.

Consider advice given in the Natural England publications: ‘Hedgerow trees: answers to 18 common questions’ and ‘Hedge cutting: answers to 18 common questions’.

There are also Surrey County Council hedge maintenance policy / standards.

Appendix VI – Trees

Any work carried out on trees should:

• Comply with Surrey Highways Arboricultural Specifications and Guidance Note and SCC Arboricultural Policy Guides
• Reflect natural vegetation patterns and species for any new woodland planting as described in “The Future of Surrey’s Landscape and Woodlands” (Surrey CC 1997), and comply with guidelines in MaPS
• Comply with the Habitats Regulations. The Forestry Commission website has information: www.forestry.gov.uk/england-protectedspecies
• Take into account Tree Preservation Orders (TPO’s) and Conservation Areas (under the Town and Country Planning Act)
• Comply with the Hedgerow Regulations 1997
• Take into account advice contained in the English Nature Publication: ‘Veteran trees: a guide to good management’
• Consider advice given in the Natural England publications: ‘Hedgerow trees: answers to 18 common questions’ and ‘Hedge cutting: answers to 18 common questions’

Appendix VII – Injurious and noxious weeds

The Highway Authority has a statutory responsibility under the Weeds Act 1959 and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000) to control the spread of injurious and noxious weeds and invasive plants. The current prescribed weeds under the various legislation are:

Weeds Act 1959 in relation to agricultural weeds:

• Common ragwort Senecio jacobaea
• Broad-leaved dock Rumex obtusifolia
• Curled dock Rumex crispus
• Creeping thistle Cirsium arvense
• Spear thistle Cirsium vulgare

Ragwort Control Act 2003:

Amends the Weeds Act and promotes the more efficient control of common ragwort. It enables the Secretary of State to make a ‘Code of practice to prevent the spread of ragwort’.

Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (Schedule 9) in relation to conservation:

• Giant hogweed Heracleum mantegazzianum
• Japanese knotweed Fallopia japonica

When on Surrey County Council highway land, these can be reported through the SCC website.

Other problem species

• Himalayan Balsam Impatiens glandulifera
• Rhododendron Rhododendron ponticum

Appendix VIII – Case Studies

This section describes Case Studies where measures have been implemented to protect, maintain or enhance the biodiversity of road verges. The examples given include schemes from within the County and elsewhere, where these are particularly relevant to the aims of this RVHAP. Case studies range from examples for routes or longer lengths of network down to work on individual sections of verge.

Major Highway Improvements: The A31 / A331 Blackwater Valley Route

The Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership manages a total of 86 hectares of amenity land alongside the A31 and A331 on behalf of Surrey and Hampshire CC. This large expanse of land resulted from land purchases made at the time of highway design and construction during the period 1992-1996, in order to provide appropriate levels of mitigation for the new highway route, and secure land required for viable habitat relocation, creation and management.

The Blackwater Valley Route (BVR) covers a distance of 15 kilometres, and areas retained and enhanced for biodiversity, recreation and amenity extend to distances up to 50 metres either side of the road corridor. This Green Corridor provides:

• A buffer between built up areas of Farnborough, Aldershot and Badshot Lea to the west and Mytchett, Frimley, Ash Vale and Tongham to the east;
• A mosaic of linked open spaces and habitats including a number of pocket parks, large lakes, rivers, streams, ponds and other wetland habitats, together with large areas of woodland, scrub and verge associated with the route
• A long distance footpath that connects Frimley with the Hog’s Back.

The Blackwater Valley Route is a linear urban nature reserve. The Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership have consciously integrated nature conservation into the management of the site as a whole, successfully creating and managing habitats for a diversity of species, including bats, grass snakes, amphibians, birds, dragonflies, mammals, stag beetles, and butterflies.

The roadside verges alongside the Route are largely recently created woodland, grassland, scrub and thicket. Management and maintenance on the route combines safety with measures to improve the amenity and habitat value of the corridor. Beyond the immediate roadside verges there are extensive areas of woodland, grassland and wetland, some surviving intact from the pre-construction period, and some newly created as part of the highway scheme.

The roadside landscaping of the Blackwater Valley Route contributes significantly to the habitat status of the Valley as a whole, and now forms a very important wildlife corridor linking sites where they would otherwise be fragmented by urban sprawl.

The Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership is currently undertaking a number of specific habitat management programmes aimed at securing Habitat Action Plan targets identified in the Surrey BAP, notably conversion of woodland and scrub areas on the Hog’s Back to viable areas of chalk grassland, coppice management within woodland areas, and management of other grassland areas for invertebrates. A number of sites have been surveyed in detail by Surrey Wildlife Trust, providing data and recommended actions for habitat enhancement.

Managing Existing Routes: Green Corridor Action Plans (GCAP)

Green Corridor Action Plans form one of the principal methodologies for implementation of the RVHAP. The GCAPs follow an identical structure and layout.

The aims of GCAPs are:

• To define the character and key issues associated with a route and to set out long term objectives to strengthen the landscape character and biodiversity of the road corridor, in accordance with defined targets
• To set out a five year action plan to address priority issues for the route

Long-term objectives and the five-year action plan are assessed against four main criteria:

Safety: Safety is the overriding control on any proposals set out in the plan. Proposed enhancements or changes to maintenance regimes are assessed in terms of whether they will provide safety improvements, from the point of view of route users and maintenance operatives.

Economy: All proposals are costed and evaluated with regard to savings that might be achieved and also with regard to potential funding sources.

Biodiversity: All proposals are evaluated against Action Plan Targets in the Surrey Biodiversity Action Plan and this RVHAP.

Landscape: Proposals seek to reflect and enhance the landscape character of the route and will, where appropriate, address specific landscape functions such as screening. Where relevant proposals are evaluated against existing guidance or strategies, such as the Local Plans and Surrey Landscape and Woodlands Strategy

GCAPs are, therefore, not solely concerned with maintaining and enhancing the biodiversity value of the network, but also address amenity, landscape, safety and economic issues.

To date Green Corridor Action Plans have been completed for the following routes:

• A24 Givons Grove Roundabout to Capel (17 kilometres)
• A31 Hogs Back (18 kilometres)
• B375 Chertsey Bridge Road to Gaston Bridge Road (4 kilometres)
• A320 St Peters Way (1 kilometre)

Enhancements and modifications to maintenance regimes have been implemented on all the above routes, in accordance with the respective GCAPs.

Young Street Chalk Grassland

The A246 Young Street runs from Givons Grove south of Leatherhead, to the junction of the B2122 and A246 Guildford Road at Fetcham. This stretch of highway is on the North Downs and is within the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The site, which comprises species rich chalk grassland and scrub, lies south of the A246, west of the Young Street car park and railway bridge, towards Bocketts Farm. Fields and open grassland associated with Norbury Park and Bocketts Farm lie to the south and north.

The site is approximately 1.8 hectares (3.4 acres) in extent, measuring some 560 metres length by 2-15 metres width. It is separated from the highway corridor by a deep ditch and is bounded to the south by a steep, high, north facing embankment, comprising exposed chalk, and including chalk scree at its base.

A botanical survey by the Surrey Wildlife Trust identified 113 plant species on this short section of verge in July 2004.

The survey included management recommendations and these have been incorporated in the A24 Givons Grove to Capel Green Corridor Action Plan, as the verge lies just to the west of the Givons Grove Roundabout. Volunteers and a contractor have carried out scrub clearance in accordance with the survey recommendations, and SWT will continue to monitor the site, initially on an annual basis.

The Young Street verge has been set up as a demonstration project for verge management, combining routine maintenance operations carried out by the Term Maintenance Contractor with conservation management carried out by volunteers from the Lower Mole Countryside Management Project.

RVHAPs elsewhere in the UK

The value of roadside verges as a reservoir for wild flowers and invertebrates has long been recognised by Suffolk Wildlife Trust, which was the first organisation to set up a roadside nature reserve scheme 30 years ago. Currently there are some 35 kilometres of verge in Suffolk that are protected, ranging in lengths from 40 metres to 3.5 kilometres.

All protected verges are marked either end by white posts with a plate bearing the words ‘Roadside Nature Reserve’ to identify the verge to both the contractor and the public. Each verge is cut once a year, normally in October after flowering and seeding, except for a few selected sites, which are cut in July. Volunteers provide management input on some sites, and this includes raking up cuttings left by the contractor. The project continues to be fully supported by Suffolk County Council.

Nottinghamshire also has ‘Notified Road Verges’ designated by the County Council who manage in excess of 75 kilometres of unimproved neutral grassland in the county.

Northampton County Council has designated and manages 21 protected roadside verges.

130 Roadside Nature Reserves have been created in Kent, in partnership with Kent Wildlife Trust and the County’s Highway Authority. A network of volunteer ‘verge wardens’ assist with the management and surveying of these designated verges.

Verge Management in the Netherlands

The Netherlands has adopted the principle of ‘Ecological Verge Management’, based on one or two annual cuts and removal of cuttings. This is a similar approach to traditional ‘hay making’, and has led to a dramatic improvement in diversity of species and presence of animals in verges, even alongside major highway corridors. It has been found that the cutting regimes, based on sound ecological principles, employed by the Dutch have proved no more expensive than the cutting regimes previously adopted. The Dutch have shown that the construction and maintenance of verges aimed at the creation and preservation of rich natural habitats is both feasible and achievable.

In the Netherlands, where verges are now routinely managed for wildlife conservation objectives, in excess of 760 plant species have been recorded in verges, which accounts for over 50% of all plant species occurring throughout the Country, and the range of species favouring verges varies from the common place to those that are relatively rare or even threatened.

A great deal of work has been undertaken in the Netherlands on addressing the impacts of fragmentation caused by highway corridors on wildlife through modified design and management of verges. This has included the creation of alternative/replacement habitats, enhancement/extension of existing marginal habitats, creation of linear links based on natural corridors such as canals and rivers, and the construction of purpose designed crossing points such as green bridges, tunnels, and linear wetlands.

In achieving biodiversity improvements the Dutch have applied ‘Ecological Engineering’ techniques. This includes departure from normally accepted engineering procedures relating to earthworks, particularly in relation to grading operations (e.g. roughly formed, uneven soil surfaces and formation of deliberate humps and hollows).

Progressively, verges in the Netherlands are providing a sanctuary for species displaced or under threat in other habitats, and it has been found that 160 plant species, which is 10% of all plant species occurring in the Netherlands, can only survive reliably in roadside verges because there are no other suitable habitats left. In particular, plant species once familiar in agricultural landscape now flourish in roadside verges and directly contribute to species diversity.

Appendix IX – Useful publications

• Surrey County Council, revised November 2007. Arboricultural Specification and Guidance Note.
• Surrey County Council Arboricultural Policy Guides
• Surrey County Council Guidance in MaPS.
• Surrey County Council, 1997; The Future of Surrey’s Landscape and Woodlands
• National guidance in the Highway Agency’s Trunk Road Maintenance Manual
• Highways Agency, Trunk Road Maintenance Manual
• Highways Agency, Design Manual for Roads and Bridges: Volume 10 Section 3 Part 2 HA 108/04 The Landscape Management Handbook. November 2004
• British Standard BS 4428 – code of practice for general landscape operations (excluding hard surfaces)
• English Nature. June 2003. Towards a Ragwort Management Strategy. Information note; English Nature.
• Defra, revised May 2007, Code of practice on how to prevent the spread of ragwort
• The Wildlife Trusts, 2006. A Living Landscape

via Internet

• Cornwall County Council – Cornish Roadside Hedge Management
• The Essex Special Roadside Verge Project
• Kent Roadside Nature Reserves
• Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust – Protected Roadside Verges
• Sussex Biodiversity Partnership – From Rio to Sussex Action for Biodiversity
• West Sussex County Council - notable road verges
• Worcestershire Biodiversity Partnership, Factsheet 4 – Ancient hedgerows and road verges
• Highways Agency - Biodiversity Action Plan

Appendix X – Members of the Road Verge Habitat Action Plan Working Group

Core Members

• Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership
• Carillion
• Herpetological Conservation Trust
• Mole Valley District Council
• Reigate and Banstead Borough Council
• Ringway
• Surrey Biodiversity Information Centre
• Surrey Biodiversity Partnership
• Surrey Botanical Society
• Surrey County Council
• Surrey Hills AONB
• Surrey Wildlife Trust

Other Consultees

• Downlands Countryside Management Project
• Gatwick Greenspace Partnership
• Guildford Borough Council
• Lower Mole Countryside Management Project
• Natural England
• Tandridge District Council
• Waverley Borough Council
• Woking Borough Council

Appendix XI – Useful contacts

• Ancient Tree Forum
• Badger Trust
• Bat Conservation Trust
• Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership
• British Trust for Ornithology (BTO)
• BTCV (British Trust for Conservation Volunteers)
• Buglife
• Butterfly Conservation
• Council for the Protection of Rural England (CPRE)
• Downlands Countryside Management Project
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
• District / Borough Councils
• Natural England
• Environment Agency
• Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG)
• Flora Locale (for seed sources)
• Forestry Commission
• Froglife
• Gatwick Greenspace Partnership
• Highways Agency
• Herpetological ConservationTrust (HCT)
• Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC)
• Landlife
• Lower Mole Countryside Management Project
• Mammals Trust UK
• National Trust
• Parish Councils
• Plantlife
• Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)
• Surrey Amphibian and Reptile Group
• Surrey Biodiversity Information Centre
• Surrey Biodiversity Partnership
• Surrey Botanical Society
• Surrey County Council
• Surrey Heathland Project
• Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
• Surrey Urban Biodiversity Project
• Surrey Wildlife Trust
• The Mammal Society
• The Woodland Trust