Countryside volunteering

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. 

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 image below will help you find the meeting points each week.

Download map

Download an image of the meeting point map:  

Farnham Park meeting point map

Wednesday 29 December

No task.

Wednesday 5 January

Hedge laying – continuing with this traditional craft to improve the Park’s hedges for wildlife. We will have a bonfire to burn the cuttings.

Meet at the Avenue east (D9 – exists.mixer.drape)

Wednesday 12 January

Continuing with the hedge laying stated earlier in the month. We will have a bonfire to burn the cuttings.

Meet at the Avenue east (D9 – exists.mixer.drape)

Wednesday 19 January

Continuing with the hedge laying stated earlier in the month. We will have a bonfire to burn the cuttings.

Meet at the Avenue east (D9 – exists.mixer.drape)

Wednesday 26 January

Continuing with the hedge laying stated earlier in the month. We will have a bonfire to burn the cuttings.

Meet at the Avenue east (D9 – exists.mixer.drape)

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.

Wednesday 5 January

Scrub clearance: Today we will be continuing with scrub clearance across the common, clearing small pine and birch trees to pause the successional clock and maintain the open heathland habitat so important for our rare and endangered wildlife.

Meet at 10:15 by Axe Pond (scrapping.dollar.jars, grid ref - SU 8673 4018). Please park responsibly on the roadside on Sandy Lane or alternatively on Jumps Road to the south, follow the bridleway up.  

Wednesday 19 January

Scrub clearance: Today we will be continuing with scrub clearance across the common, clearing small pine and birch trees to pause the successional clock and maintain the open heathland habitat so important for our rare and endangered wildlife.

Meet at 10:15 by Axe Pond (scrapping.dollar.jars, grid ref - SU 8673 4018). Please park responsibly on the roadside on Sandy Lane or alternatively on Jumps Road to the south, follow the bridleway up.

Wednesday 26 January

Scrub clearance: Today we will be continuing with scrub clearance across the common, clearing small pine and birch trees to pause the successional clock and maintain the open heathland habitat so important for our rare and endangered wildlife.

Meet at 10:15 by Axe Pond (scrapping.dollar.jars, grid ref - SU 8673 4018). Please park responsibly on the roadside on Sandy Lane or alternatively on Jumps Road to the south, follow the bridleway up.

Wednesday 2 February

Scrub clearance: Today we will be continuing with scrub clearance across the common, clearing small pine and birch trees to pause the successional clock and maintain the open heathland habitat so important for our rare and endangered wildlife.

We’ll be working in multiple areas around the site, so please contact us on 01483 523394 for meeting information and to be added to the Frensham volunteer e-mail list.

Wednesday 16 February

Scrub clearance: Today we will be continuing with scrub clearance across the common, clearing small pine and birch trees to pause the successional clock and maintain the open heathland habitat so important for our rare and endangered wildlife.

We’ll be working in multiple areas around the site, so please contact us on 01483 523394 for meeting information and to be added to the Frensham volunteer e-mail list.

Wednesday 23 February

Scrub clearance: Today we will be continuing with scrub clearance across the common, clearing small pine and birch trees to pause the successional clock and maintain the open heathland habitat so important for our rare and endangered wildlife.

We’ll be working in multiple areas around the site, so please contact us on 01483 523394 for meeting information and to be added to the Frensham volunteer e-mail list.

Volunteer sessions from 10am - 3pm unless otherwise stated, though there is no requirement to stay all day. Meet 10am at the small car park off Roke Lane, Witley, GU8 5NZ (SU 936 399). Sessions led by Vicky. Tools are provided, as are tea and coffee.

Wednesday 12 January 

Scrub clearance: Continuing with clearing invading scrub and small trees from the important heathland habitat.

Wednesday 9 February

Scrub clearance: Our final day of clearing scrub and small trees from the heathland before the bird breeding season starts, and the heathland wildlife takes advantage of our good work.

Sunday 13 February

Scrub clearance – we will clear encroaching young trees and scrub from the heathland in order to preserve its open shrubby character.

Meet 10:00 at the small parking area off Roke Lane GU8 5NZ (SU 936 399).

Session led by Vicky

Volunteer sessions take place on the second Wednesday of every month, from 10am-3pm. Sessions led by Abbi.

Wednesday 12 January

Scrub clearance: We will continue with clearing birch and pine scrub, coppicing gorse, creating bare ground patches and pushing back encroaching woodland edges to maintain the important open heathland habitat.

Meet at 10:00 at the Littleford Lane car park before heading down to the work area near to TQ 0369 4580 (finer.venue.magic)

Friday 28 January

Scrub clearance: Cutting pine, birch and gorse scrub to open shaded areas and re-establish mosaic habitats and pushing back encroaching woodland edges.

Meet at 10:00 at the Littleford Lane car park before heading down to the work area near to TQ 0369 4580 (finer.venue.magic)

Wednesday 9 February

Scrub clearance: We will continue with clearing birch and pine scrub, coppicing gorse, creating bare ground patches and pushing back encroaching woodland edges to maintain the important open heathland habitat.

Meet at 10:00 at the Littleford Lane car park before heading down to the work area near to TQ 0369 4580 (finer.venue.magic)

Friday 25 February

Scrub clearance:  Cutting pine, birch and gorse scrub to open shaded areas and re-establish mosaic habitats and pushing back encroaching woodland edges.

Meet at 10:00 at the Littleford Lane car park before heading down to the work area near to TQ 0369 4580 (finer.venue.magic)

Please note that Volunteering tasks do not run routinely at Summerlands over the spring and summer.

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

Tuesday 11 January

Woodland Management -  Opening out the woodland understory to create glades for wildflowers. Coppicing willow along path edge at Rydelands.

Meet at 10am beside the road at the north end of Slip of Wood, Summerlands, GU6 7BE

Tuesday 25 January

Woodland management – Continuing to clear brambles, holly and cherry laurel from the woodland to open up space for wildflowers.

Meet at 10am beside the road at the north end of Slip of Wood, Summerlands, GU6 7BE

Tuesday 8 February

Woodland management - Reducing brambles, holly and cherry laurel from the woodland to bring light to the understory for ground flora.

Meet at 10am beside the road at the north end of Slip of Wood, Summerlands, GU6 7BE

Tuesday 22 February

Woodland management – Finalising the woodland clearance work for the year, cutting back cherry laurel, brambles, and holly.

Meet at 10am beside the road at the north end of Slip of Wood, Summerlands, GU6 7BE

Volunteering tasks do not run at Ten Acre Wood over the spring and summer.

Saturday 15 January

Holly clearance – we will be clearing some of the dense stands of holly from the woodland to make space for young trees and other woodland plants to germinate.

Meet 10:00 at the corner of Clifton Close, off Boundstone Road, Farnham, GU10 4TP (SU 832 437).

Session led by Vicky

Volunteering tasks do not run at Compton Copse over the spring and summer.

Saturday 20 November

Holly clearance – we will be clearing stands of dense holly to give other woodland trees and plants more space and light.

Meet 10:00 at the small parking area off Old Compton Lane, Farnham, GU9 8EG (SU 859 462).

Session led by Vicky

Volunteering tasks do not run at Bealeswood Common over the spring and summer.

Sunday 17 October

Holly clearance – we will be clearing holly from the woodland to increase light levels and make space for woodland flowers.

Meet 10:00 at the noticeboard at the end of the lane from the Bluebell pub, GU10 4EX (SU 822 410)

Session led by Vicky

Lower Hanger Wood

Sunday 21 November

Cherry laurel clearance – we will be clearing invasive cherry laurel from the woodland to stop it taking over at the expense of native species.

Meet 10:00am at the eastern-most lay-by on Lower Hanger road, Haslemere GU27 1LU (SU 876 329)

Session led by Vicky

Shackleford Common

Sunday 16 January

Sycamore clearance – we will be clearing a dense patch of young sycamore to stop it taking over at the expense of other species.

Meet 10:00 at the car park off the Elstead road, just east of the junction with Peper Harow Lane, GU8 6AY (SU 935 445)

Session led by Vicky