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.

Volunteering tasks resume week beginning 29 March

Coronavirus (COVID-19) latest information on government website

Volunteer sessions normally take place every Wednesday from 9:30am – 12:30pm. 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. Outdoor clothing, sturdy footwear.

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 31 March

We will be felling dead trees, carrying out some scrub management and a general site tidy.

Meet at the Ranger’s House car park (H1)

Wednesday 7 April

No task.

Wednesday 14 April

We will be cutting overhanging vegetation and removing redundant tree guards

Meet at the Cross Bench (M2)

Wednesday 21 April

We will be installing a fence and cutting vegetation

Meet at White Bottom west gate near Swallow Hole (E4)

Wednesday 28 April

We will be moving around the Park cutting back vegetation from paths

Meet at the spigot mortar near the Bear Lane entrance (A1)

Wednesday 5 May

We will be moving around the Park cutting back vegetation from paths

Meet at the St. James’s Avenue entrance (B8)

Wednesday 12 May

We will be moving around the Park cutting back vegetation from paths and a bridge

Meet at the Lower Hampton Road noticeboard (N3)

Wednesday 19 May

We will be moving around the Park cutting back vegetation from paths and a bridge

Meet at the Lower Hampton Road noticeboard (N3)

Wednesday 26 May

We will be removing invasive species and carrying out maintenance to paths (west)

Meet at the Nutshell Lane entrance (M8)

Wednesday 2 June

We will be removing invasive species and carrying out maintenance to paths (streamside)

Meet at the Lower Hampton Road noticeboard (N3)

Wednesday 9 June

We will be removing invasive species and carrying out maintenance to paths

Meet at the oak plantation/ view point (M6)

Wednesday 16 June

We will be removing invasive species and carrying out maintenance to paths (south)

Meet at the Nutshell Lane entrance (M8)

Wednesday 23 June

We will be removing invasive species and carrying out maintenance to paths (north)

Meet at the Yo-Yo Pond (F9)

Wednesday 30 June

We will be removing invasive species and carrying out maintenance to paths (east)

Meet at the Lower Hampton Road noticeboard (N3)

Wednesday 7 July

We will be removing invasive ragwort from the hay meadows

Meet near Parliament Pond (L2)

Wednesday 14 July

We will be removing invasive ragwort from the hay meadows and carrying out maintenance to paths (south)

Meet at the Oast House Lane entrance (J10)

Wednesday 21 July

We will be removing invasive species and carrying out maintenance to paths (south)

Meet at the Yo-yo Pond (F9)

Wednesday 28 July

We will be removing invasive ragwort from the hay meadows

Meet near Parliament Pond (L2)

Wednesday 4 August

Invasive species removal and path maintenance

Meet at the Ranger’s House cattle gate (H6)

Wednesday 11 August

Invasive species removal and path maintenance

Meet at the new coppice in the south east corner of White Bottom (E10)

Wednesday 18 August

We will be removing invasive species and carrying out maintenance to paths

Meet at the Nutshell Lane entrance (M8)

Wednesday 25 August

We will be removing invasive species and carrying out maintenance to paths

Meet at the Motorway Bridge (K6)

Volunteering tasks resume week beginning 29 March

Coronavirus (COVID-19) latest information on government website

Volunteer sessions normally take place every Wednesday from 10am-3pm. 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 31 March

Fencing/toad pond maintenance: Picking up where we left off last year, today we will be continuing with the Conservation Area fencing around the toad ponds.

Meet at 10:00 at the Great Pond car park (GU10 2QB)

Wednesday 7 April

No task

Wednesday 21 April

Fencing: Today we will be continuing with the fencing for the toad pond.

Meet at 10:00 at the Great Pond car park (GU10 2QB).

Wednesday 28 April

Fencing: Today we will be continuing with the toad pond fencing.

Meet at 10:00 at the Great Pond car park (GU10 2QB).

Wednesday 5 May

Survey and Litter Picking: Today we will be continuing with the year's biological and environmental surveys across the common. Encompassing birds, reptiles, invertebrates and mammals, these surveys help guide the management of the site.

The early bird catches the worm! We will meet at 08:00 at the Great Pond car park (GU10 2QB).

Wednesday 19 May

Fencing: Today we will be replacing the fencing around the Barrows on the Kings Ridge.

Meet at 10:15 at the Barrows (What three words- ///distracts.moral.stylist, SU 8536 4069)

Wednesday 26 May

Fencing: Today we will be replacing the fencing around the Barrows on the Kings Ridge.

Meet at 10:15 at the Barrows (What three words- ///distracts.moral.stylist, SU 8536 4069)

Wednesday 2 June

Survey & Litter Picking: Today we will be continuing with the year's biological and environmental surveys across the common. Encompassing birds, reptiles, invertebrates and mammals, these surveys help guide the management of the site.

The early bird catches the worm! We will meet at 08:00 at the Little Pond corner car park (GU10 3DW).

Wednesday 16 June

Bridleway maintenance: Today we will be cutting back pathside gorse to keep the bridleway network open and accessible.

Meet at Axe Pond at 10:15 (What three words- ///scrapping.dollar.jars, SU 8673 4018)

Wednesday 23 June

Site maintenance: Today we will be repairing the steps from the car park to the beach and replacing worn fencing.

Meet at the Great Pond car park at 10:00 (GU10 2QB).

Wednesday 30 June

Interpretation installation/site maintenance: Today we will be installing a suite of interpretation on the common to help visitors understand the importance of the site.

Meet at Axe Pond at 10:15 (What three words- ///scrapping.dollar.jars, SU 8673 4018)

Wednesday 7 July

Invasive species removal at Tilford Nature Reserve

Today for a change we will be working at the nearby Tilford Nature Reserve. We will removing invasive Himalayan balsam and black cherry to prevent them taking over at the expense of other species.

Meet at the Stockbridge car park, Tilford (GU10 2DD, SU 875430)

Volunteering tasks resume week beginning 29 March

Coronavirus (COVID-19) latest information on government website

Volunteer sessions from 10am - 3pm usually take place on the second Wednesday of the month. Meet 10am at the small car park off Roke Lane, Witley, GU8 5NZ (SU 936 399). Sessions led by Vicky.

Wednesday 14 April

Sand scrape management: We will be clearing encroaching vegetation from the bare sandy areas used by sand lizards and specialist invertebrates, and loosening the sand to create suitable conditions for burrowing and egg laying.

Wednesday 12 May

Site furniture installation and maintenance: We will be installing a new bench, replacing a broken pin board, and carrying out general repairs and maintenance to site furniture.

Wednesday 9 June

8:00 – 13:00

Wildlife surveying: We will take a break from practical work today to seek out some of the rare and specialised species that make Mare Hill their home. We will look for specialist heathland birds and reptiles, and also the many smaller sun-loving insect species which thrive at Mare Hill. This day is important for us to gain a snapshot of how the wildlife at Mare Hill is faring and to monitor the effectiveness of our management.

Please note the earlier start (and finish!) time. We will need good weather for this survey to be worthwhile, so if the forecast is bad we will swap this day with next month’s task.

Wednesday 4 July

Balsam removal and pond maintenance: We will start the day by pulling out a patch of invasive Himalayan balsam which has taken hold in the woodland. Once this is done we will concentrate our efforts on clearing debris from the three seasonal ponds whilst they are dry.

Wednesday 4 August (extra date)

Path improvements: We will dig some drainage channels to divert water from a wet section of path, and then top up the surfacing of other paths which have a tendency to get muddy.

Wednesday 11 August

Turkey oak removal: We will clear numerous small invasive Turkey oak saplings and clumps of dense young sycamore from the woodland to prevent them taking over at the expense of other species.

Volunteering tasks resume week beginning 29 March

Coronavirus (COVID-19) latest information on government website

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

Wednesday 14 April

Site Maintenance/Interpretation installation: Today we will be undertaking site maintenance across the common, repairing post and rail fencing and continuing with the installation of interpretation panels across the site.

Meet at the main gate in the Blackheath Lane car park (GU4 8RB)

Wednesday 12 May

Survey and Litter Picking: Today we will be undertaking biological and environmental surveys across the common. Encompassing birds, reptiles, invertebrates and mammals, these surveys help guide the management of the site.

The early bird catches the worm! We will meet at 08:00 at the main gate in the Blackheath Lane car park (GU4 8RB)

Wednesday 9 June

Site Maintenance/ Interpretation installation: Today we will be undertaking site maintenance across the common, repairing post and rail fencing and continuing with the installation of interpretation panels across the site.

Meet at the main gate in the Blackheath Lane car park (GU4 8RB)

Wednesday 14 July

Survey and Litter Picking: Today we will be undertaking biological and environmental surveys across the common. Encompassing birds, reptiles, invertebrates and mammals, these surveys help guide the management of the site.

The early bird catches the worm! We will meet at 08:00 at the main gate in the Blackheath Lane car park (GU4 8RB).

Volunteering tasks will resume in October

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

Coronavirus (COVID-19) latest information on government website

These sessions are from 10am - 1pm. Meet 10:00 by the pond at Kiln Copse, Cranleigh, GU6 7BW. Sessions led by Vicky.

Volunteering tasks will resume in October.

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

Coronavirus (COVID-19) latest information on government website

Volunteering tasks will resume in October

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

Coronavirus (COVID-19) latest information on government website

Volunteering tasks will resume in October

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

Coronavirus (COVID-19) latest information on government website