Volunteering in the Countryside

Why volunteer?

• Help improve your local wildlife habitats and make a real difference to the animals and plants that live there.
• Meet new people interested in looking after the countryside.
• Conservation volunteering is a great way of keeping fit, getting fresh air and relieving stress.

All tools, protective equipment and supervision are provided by the countryside rangers. They will also explain how to use hand tools safely and give the reasons for the work being carried out.  Most importantly, they will provide tea and coffee (please bring your own lunch).

Who can become a volunteer?

Everyone is welcome to come along and help us with our conservation tasks, but  under 16's must be accompanied by an adult.

No experience is needed, just plenty of enthusiasm and some elbow grease.

New volunteers are always welcome. 

Please do not attend any of our volunteer sessions if you have symptoms of COVID-19. This includes the symptoms of cough, fever, and loss of taste and smell, but also more generic cold-like symptoms such as a sore throat, runny nose, and headache. We will provide hand sanitiser which we encourage you to use during our volunteer sessions.

What to expect

Spring and summer

Tasks include:

•     removing invasive plants by hand such as ragwort, himalayan balsam and bracken
•     improving paths
•     creating steps
•     installing seats for visitors
•     litter-picking
•     hay-making

Autumn and winter

Tasks include:

•     hedge-laying 
•     coppicing (cutting down poles of hazel and chestnut to regenerate woodland)
•     pulling out stray Scots pine sapling
•     removing gorse and birch on heathland
•     planting trees
•     clearing ponds of excess vegetation

Register as a volunteer

Before becoming an Waverley Countryside Volunteer, you will need to register as a volunteer

Register as a volunteer

More information

To find out more, please contact the Parks and Countryside team, email parks&countryside@waverley.gov.uk or call 01483 523394.

Check out the Waverley countryside locations for more information on our activities and when they take place.

Volunteer sessions normally take place every Wednesday morning from 9:00am – 12:30pm to assist in the management in this historic deer park. Meet at 9am at the locations below, parking can be found at the main car park on Folly Hill (GU9 0AU). Sessions led by Nick.

Dates and tasks are subject to change – please check with site noticeboards or the ranger beforehand by calling 01252 717047.

Meeting point map

The map available via the link below will help you find the meeting points each week.

Farnham Park map

Tasks and dates 2024

Wednesday 24 July

Invasive species control and path maintenance: Searching for and pulling out invasive Himalayan balsam and maintaining paths.

Meet at Nutshell Lane Coppice (M8 – even.universal.infuses)

Wednesday 31 July

Invasive species control and path maintenance: Searching for and pulling out invasive Himalayan balsam and maintaining paths.

Meet at Friend’s Pond (G3 – help.chosen.spring)

Wednesday 7 August

Invasive species control and path maintenance: Searching for and pulling out invasive Himalayan balsam and maintaining paths.

Meet at Hoghatch Vale (L4 – swan.discusses.arming)

Wednesday 14 August

Invasive species control and path maintenance: Searching for and pulling out invasive Himalayan balsam and maintaining paths.

Meet at College Copse, north (F8 – petal.uses.exit)

Wednesday 21 August

Invasive species control and path maintenance: Searching for and pulling out invasive Himalayan balsam and maintaining paths.

Meet at Halfway Glade (L8 – scary.built.curl)

Wednesday 28 August

Invasive species control and path maintenance: Searching for and pulling out invasive Himalayan balsam and maintaining paths.

Meet at Sidney’s Glade (F10 point.gasp.purely)

Volunteer sessions normally take place every Wednesday from 10am-3pm, except for the second Wednesday of the month when we instead work at Mare Hill Common. Meet at 10am at the Frensham Great Pond Car Park off Bacon Lane, GU10 2QB, unless otherwise specified in the listing. Sessions led by Darren.

Tasks and dates 2024

Wednesday 24 July

No task today

Wednesday 31 July

No task today

August

Due to the high visitor pressure typically experienced at Frensham during the summer school holidays, there will be no formal volunteer sessions here in August. We always welcome volunteer litter pickers during this time - speak to the Ranger to find out more!

All tasks are 10am – 3pm unless otherwise stated, though there is no requirement to stay all day. Meet at the small car park off Roke Lane, Witley, GU8 5NZ (SU 936 399). Tools are provided, as are tea and coffee.

Tasks and dates 2024

Wednesday 24 July 

Pond clearance and bracken pulling: Assuming that water levels are low enough, we will take the opportunity to clear out the water retention ponds at the bottom of the site. Once finished, we will continue with the bracken pulling started last month.

Wednesday 8 August

Invertebrate survey: We will be joined by a local expert to search for and learn about the small and inconspicuous, but often rare and specialised insect species that make Mare Hill their home.

Volunteer sessions take place from 10am-3pm on the second Wednesday of every month and also the last Friday of every month during the autumn and winter. Sessions led by Lucie. 

Tasks and dates 2024

Friday 26 July

Butterfly survey: We will walk the butterfly transect and record all butterflies we see.

Meet: 10am Blackheath Lane car park, W3W: sharpness.donates.workroom

Wednesday 14 August

Reptile survey: We will walk the reptile transect and record all the reptile species we find.

Meet: 10am Littleford Lane car park, W3W: buggy.shepherdess.volcano

Friday 30 August

No task today

These sessions are from 10am - 1pm and led by Lucie.

Tasks and dates 2024

August

There will be no volunteering sessions at Summerlands in August

Tasks and dates 2024

No upcoming volunteer tasks.

Tasks and dates 2024

No current tasks, more dates coming soon.

Tasks and dates 2024

No upcoming volunteer tasks.

Tasks and dates 2024

No upcoming volunteer tasks.

Tasks and dates 2024

No current tasks, more dates coming soon.