Haslemere Biodiversity

National Polecat Survey (2024-25)
2024-01-01 08:00 - 2025-12-31 17:00 UTC
Polecats were once a common and widespread carnivorous mammals native to England, Wales and Scotland. However, by 1915 the polecat had been eradicated from most of its former British range, remaining only in a small stronghold of mid-Wales and the English borders.

Due to a combination of factors, including legal protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, the population is now slowly recovering and spreading across Britain. VWT monitors its recovery using National Surveys that rely on records of polecats being submitted by members of the public (also known as citizen or community scientists). This data is vital for research into this little-known species, which leaves few field signs for study by other survey methods.

VWT’s National Polecat Survey is appealing to members of the public to record the presence of polecats, and will run from 2024 until the end of 2025. This is the only dedicated national survey for polecats and is the fourth in a series of national surveys by VWT that have taken place since the 1990s. Any sightings (dead or alive) can be reported via their website.

Surrey Nature Partnership Biodiversity & Planning Conference
2024-03-12 00:00 - 23:59 UTC
Haslemere Biodiversity stall at the Surrey Nature Partnership Biodiversity & Planning Conference to network with likeminded organisations and promote understanding of our work and role.

Haslemere Biodiversity formed as a legal entity
2024-04-20 00:00 - 23:59 UTC
Whilst the group had been working together for some time (many of them on the environmental policies for the area’s Neighbourhood Plan) this was the date where Haslemere Biodiversity came into being in its own right.

Presentation to the Haslemere Natural History Society
2024-04-27 00:00 - 23:59 UTC
Presentation of the Haslemere Ecological Network and initiatives to date to the Haslemere National History Society.

Celebrating Surrey's communities
2024-06-13 00:00 - 23:59 UTC | RHS Wisley, Wisley Garden, Woking, GU23 6QB
This Surrey Wildlife Trust networking event, attended by Haslemere Biodiversity representatives, saw community groups come together to celebrate the conclusion and legacy of the Nextdoor Nature project.

Community groups involved in the Nextdoor Nature and Wilder Communities projects celebrated some of the achievements of local Surrey community groups at an event held at RHS Wisley. Celebrating Surrey’s Communities offered training opportunities, networking, idea sharing, and a range of workshops including community fundraising, connecting with the next generation, and adopting zero-waste practices.

Heathlands Walkthrough
2024-08-19 15:00 - 17:00 UTC
Walk through event with partners to discuss creation of heathland corridors that would connect nationally important habitats.

Mtg to discuss watercourse habitat opportunities
2024-09-04 15:00 - 17:00 UTC

Churt Rd Verge Wildflower Sowing
2024-10-24 10:00 - 15:00 UTC
The creation of a 750m-long wildflower verge on Churt Road is a local initiative designed to reverse insect decline. An event to sow a native meadow wildflower mix was held in October with help from local volunteers and partners; Buglife, the National Trust and Haslemere Town Council. The central portion of the verge will be left uncut until mid-summer with the verge edges being cut regularly by Haslemere Town Council to allow local residents to walk along the pathways on either side.

This verge will make an important contribution to the Haslemere B-Line, part of a national network of insect superhighways that aims to restore and create wildflower-rich habitat stepping stones to benefit insect pollinators, other wildlife and people.

Big Garden Birdwatch
2025-01-24 08:00 - 2025-01-26 17:00 UTC
The Big Garden Birdwatch is the UK’s biggest citizen science wildlife survey. It takes place annually and helps the RSPB understand how our garden birds are doing. Members of the public are asked to record bird sightings in their garden for 1 hour over the course of a two day period and report findings via the RSPB website. Over 600,000 people took part in Big Garden Birdwatch 2024, counting a whopping 9.7 million birds. House Sparrows took the top spot, but counts are down by 60% compared to the first Birdwatch in 1979. In fact, the RSPB reports we’ve lost 38 million birds from UK skies in the last 60 years.

British Science Week
2025-03-07 00:00 - 2025-03-16 23:59 UTC | British Science Association, Wellcome Wolfson Building, 165 Queen's Gate, London, SW7 5HD
British Science Week is a ten-day celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths that will take place between 7-16 March 2025! Find out what’s on near you and download activity packs for the kids here Homepage – British Science Week

Surrey Nature Partnership Biodiversity & Planning Conference 2025
2025-03-25 09:00 - 15:00 UTC | Dorking Halls, Reigate Road, Dorking, Surrey, RH4 1SG
Surrey Nature Partnership have announced their 6th annual Biodiversity & Planning Conference. “Policy to Practice: Delivering Nature Recovery” and Haslemere Biodiversity are planning to attend.

The conference will be a day of learning, ideas exchange and network development. They will host Key Note Talks, Case Studies and a discussion panel from leading planning professionals and ecology experts. Topics include

Spatial and Strategic Level Planning

Strategic Land Management Framework

Strategic Plan for Returning to Natural Processes in the Landscape

Habitat Banks

Surrey Nature Recovery

Biodiversity Net Gain

Biodiversity Duty

BNG Metrics for Water and Wetlands

Opportunities

The conference is an opportunity to discover professional learnings to implement, based on case studies, practical examples and projects. Attendees will gain insights into practical approaches to Nature Recovery, and will have opportunities to network with ecologists, planners and nature experts.

Water testing on the River Wey
2025-03-30 09:55 - 12:30 UTC | Allee’s Meadow, Bramshott
There are a number of regular tasks which need to be done to help look after the river and its environs. This can be managing the scrub and trees on the areas of land owned by the River Wey Trust; regular ‘balsam bashes’ tackling the spread of Himalayan Balsam (and other invasives) along the river; water quality testing; river search and kick sampling for invertebrates as a measure of the health of the ecology. Water sampling happens on the last Sunday of every month, and volunteers are asked to email ahead of time if they wish to attend.

Earth Day in Haslemere
2025-04-26 10:30 UTC | Haslemere Educational Museum, 78 High Street, Haslemere, Surrey, GU27 2LA, United Kingdom
A collective event hosted by the area’s green groups who will be providing talks, crafts, interactive information stands, refreshments and the What Next Eco-Theatre Puppet Show. Haslemere Biodiversity volunteers will be present with information on local wildlife corridors and our latest projects.

Heathlands Discovery Day
2025-04-28 11:00 - 15:00 UTC | Hindhead Commons & the Devil’s Punchbowl, Hindhead Common, Hindhead, England, Surrey, United Kingdom
Haslemere Biodiversity exhibited at the Heathlands Discovery Day, Hindhead to engage the local community in potential habitat creation initiatives. Attendees were invited to meet some of the reptiles who live on the heathland, and to discover more about the wildlife on this rare and special landscape.

Meeting with Surrey Wildlife Trust
2025-05-09 14:00 - 15:00 UTC
Following on from our meeting with the Space4Nature team in February we are keen to explore opportunities for community projects and events (e.g. wildlife-friendly gardening initiatives) with the SWT Wilder Opportunities team.

Presentation to Haslemere U3A
2025-05-15 15:00 - 17:00 UTC | Haslemere Town Hall, Haslemere High Street, Haslemere, GU267 2HG
Presentation of local biodiversity initiatives to the Haslemere U3A Nature Conservation Group. In partnership with Surrey County Council’s Nature Recovery Lead.

Walk to School Week
2025-05-19 00:00 - 2025-05-23 23:59 UTC
Walk to School Week is an annual five-day walking challenge and this year it takes place 19-23 May 2025. This year’s Living Streets challenge will see pupils take on The Great Space Walk, encouraging them to travel actively to school every day of the week.

The aim of the week is to create new habits and for students to learn about the important reasons to walk or wheel and its benefits for individuals, communities and the planet!

Open Farm Sunday
2025-06-08 10:00 - 17:00 UTC
Open Farm Sunday is a fabulous opportunity to connect farmers and the public to discover the crucial work farmers do producing food, nurturing nature, and protecting the environment for future generations.

Wildlife Gardening Gathering @ The Museum
2025-06-10 19:00 - 21:00 UTC | Haslemere Educational Museum, 78 High Street, Haslemere, Surrey, GU27 2LA, United Kingdom
Haslemere Biodiversity is hosting an event at the Haslemere Educational Museum; bringing together the local community to educate ourselves on how best to build wildlife friendly features into the garden. Tea, cake and smiles will be provided, as well as ideas on garden design and insights into local wildlife. All welcome, though we ask people to book in advance where possible (via the link below) to ensure adequate biscuit supplies.

Speaker: Professional Ecologist Gareth Matthes

Haslemere Walking Festival 2025
2025-07-04 12:00 - 2025-07-06 12:00 (Europe/London) | Haslemere Museum, High Street, Haslemere, United Kingdom
A series of guided walks and talks exploring the natural beauty and wildlife of the Haslemere area.

Big Butterfly Count
2025-07-18 08:00 - 2025-08-10 17:00 UTC
Following the results of the Big Butterfly Count 2024, Butterfly Conservation declared a butterfly emergency, and need help more than ever before. By taking part in Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count – a UK wide survey, you can help assess the health of our environment simply by counting butterflies for 15 minutes between 18th July and 10th Aug. To download the reporting app and butterfly identification sheet visit https://bigbutterflycount.butterfly-conservation.org/.

Summer migrating birds
2025-08-15 10:00 - 15:00 UTC | Tice’s meadow, The Kiln Community Centre, Badshot Lea, Surrey, GU9 9LY, United Kingdom
Many African birds migrate north to escape the summer heat, with some stopping in the UK. As Autumn nears, they prepare to return home, making August perfect for observing their migration.

The Surrey Wildlife Trust is organising an event hosted by Dan Banks from the British Trust for Ornithology who will discuss Surrey bird migrations after summer, focusing on routes and the importance of bird ringing in understanding migration.

Talks will focus on swallows, martins and swifts as well as the reedbed birds that settle in Tice’s Meadow. In the afternoon, join a guided walk to spot and record these birds using the BirdTrack app.

Members £45, non-members £60

🌿Wildlife Gardening Event
2025-09-02 19:00 - 21:00 UTC | Haslemere Educational Museum, 78 High Street, Haslemere, Surrey, GU27 2LA, United Kingdom
Growing Biodiversity at HomeJoin us at Haslemere Museum for an evening dedicated to the power of gardens – not just as places of beauty and relaxation, but as vital habitats in the fight to restore biodiversity. With 31% of Haslemere’s land made up of urban, suburban and their gardens, the potential for community-led biodiversity action is enormous. Every compost heap, hedge, and flowerbed has the potential to support pollinators, birds, and native species – and together, we can turn our gardens into a thriving network of life.

This event brings together expert voices from the Bumblebee Conservation Trust and Guildford Swifts to share practical tips, inspiring stories, and science-backed strategies for making your garden a haven for wildlife. Whether you’re part of a local environmental group, a curious gardener, or looking to get involved in citizen science, this event offers practical inspiration.

Haslemere’s role as a wildlife corridor hub linking the South Downs and Surrey Hills makes local gardening efforts especially powerful. By gardening with biodiversity in mind, we can amplify our local impact and help species move, adapt, and survive.

🌱 We’d love you to bring your young people along – to spark their curiosity, expand their sense of possibility, and show them how local action can shape a wilder, more resilient future. This is a chance to learn, connect, and be part of a growing movement rooted in hope and community.

Light bites to keep us going will be provided in the interval, so please register your attendance via the event link below so we can provide accordingly.

Haslemere Food Festival
2025-09-20 10:00 - 17:00 UTC
Annual community food festival with food stalls, demonstrations and lots of treat. An event for the whole family.

South East Climate Alliance (SECA) Annual Gathering
2026-03-28 08:00 - 17:00 UTC
An annual gathering of representatives of hundreds of climate related action groups, together with members of the public, to hear speakers and workshop popular issues. Held at the new Zero Carbon premises in Guildford, all are invited to come and share their views on how to progress green agendas. Tickets will be available to book on the SECA website nearer the date.
