Help our Grazing Heroes
We did it!
A huge thank you to everyone who donated to our Grazing Appeal and via the Big Give’s Christmas Challenge to double your donation. You helped us exceed our £50,000 target for conservation grazing in Surrey!
If you'd still like to contribute to this appeal, any additional funds are gratefully received and will be well spent to benefit all kinds of wildlife in Surrey.
Ferne Creative
We need your support to maintain and expand our vital conservation grazing work in Surrey.
Our carefully-managed cattle and sheep play a vital role in safeguarding the precious biodiversity of our grasslands and heathlands – but both habitats are on the front line of the climate and nature crisis.
Our 250 Belted Galloway cattle and a new flock of 70 crossbred sheep play a vital role in securing the future of rare species like Nightjars, Dartford Warblers, Silver-studded Blue Butterflies, Sand Lizards and a multitude of pollinating bees and beetles as well as plants including orchid species.
Grazing over 6,000 hectares of heathland and chalk grassland each year, our ‘Belties’ can be seen on reserves such as; Barossa Common, Thundry Meadows, Norbury park, Chobham Common and Wisley Common. Next summer they’ll also be grazing with ‘Nofence’ collars on Elstead Common and Whitmoor Common. Our herd of superhero sheep has been finding its feet grazing the slopes of Quarry Hangers this autumn.
Why Your Support Matters
While conservation grazing is a cost-effective method, we need help to cover increased prices for feed, veterinary care and overwintering. And to maximise our impact on Surrey's landscapes, we want to expand our Nofence grazing operation and share our findings with other organisations.
"Our grazing superheroes can do things human conservationists simply can't, and as a result, people in Surrey can enjoy some of the most beautiful landscapes in the UK."
James Herd, Director of Reserves Management
Watch the video to hear about our grazing heroes and why they need your help:
Our four goals:
Expanding 'Nofence' grazing in Surrey
Equipping more conservation grazing cattle with GPS collars will reduce the need for physical fences (thus reducing the costs of installation and maintenance), allow more targeted grazing, and help us track the animals and ensure their welfare. Members of the public can also check their location through a QR code or link displayed at the reserves.
Raising awareness of conservation grazing
Raising awareness of conservation grazing and engaging with local communities to ensure that people, dogs and grazing animals can always safely enjoy local reserves.
Increasing the Trust’s conservation grazing team capacity
We need to recruit and train more volunteer ‘lookerers’. To ensure the day-to-day welfare of the grazing herds, we aim to have 15-20 weekend volunteer lookers.
Breeding a flock of cross-breed sheep
Breeding a flock of cross-breed sheep (combining traditional Wiltshire Horn and Boreray breeds) that are perfectly suited to conservation grazing and require no shearing.
© Surrey Wildlife Trust
© Jon Hawkins
© Surrey Wildlife Trust
© Surrey Wildlife Trust
Meet our grazing heroes...
Belted Galloway cows
When you explore Surrey's nature reserves you may encounter our Belted Galloway cows - affectionately known as 'Belties.' These conservation heroes don't wear capes, but they are saving species one habitat at a time. Through their grazing and trampling, they craft a diverse tapestry of terrain, nurturing delicate wildflowers, pollinators, and endangered species, from Nightjars to Sand Lizards, to delicate wildflowers and orchid species.
This lack of uniformity can’t be achieved by machinery or humans. Cattle keep dominant grasses and thatch at bay through their grazing style; they pull and tear with their tongues and trample vegetation, forming different height structures as well as leaving hoof prints which turn into small puddles.
Photo taken on Ash Ranges
Grassland showing grazing on left and without grazing on right. There is greater ecological value to the habitat on the left, with more niches for nature.
New Sheep
We’ve also recently introduced new lambs who are finding their feet at Quarry Hangers in the East of Surrey, which is a sloped chalk grassland reserve. These sheep are Wiltshire Horn crossed with Boreray rams. They’ve been selected by our grazing team for their desirable browsing habits, wool-shedding and deer-like qualities.
Quarry Hangers has huge potential for so many chalk grassland species, and we look forward to seeing plants and wildlife flourish in the seasons ahead. The sheep will also bring these benefits and graze other reserves in the coming years as the herd expands. Sheep effectively consume dominant coarse grasses and scrub on grassland through their browsing habits: they nibble at vegetation low to the ground, producing a shorter sward and areas of bare ground. The creation of bare ground and indentations supports reptiles, insects, and plants.
© Surrey Wildlife Trust
© Surrey Wildlife Trust
How can I donate to the appeal?
Thank you for your support! You can donate in the following ways:
Online
Click the button above on this page to make a donation by Debit/Credit card, Google or Apple Pay.
By phone
Donations can be made to the appeal over the phone by calling 01483 795445 between 9 am and 5 pm, Monday - Friday.
By post
Send your donation to: Grazing Appeal, Surrey Wildlife Trust, School Lane, Pirbright, Woking, Surrey, GU24 0J.
How will you spend the money raised?
We aim to raise £50,000 to maintain and expand our conservation grazing efforts. Any funds beyond our target will be used for conservation work across Surrey at the discretion of the Trust.
Your help matters
By supporting Surrey Wildlife Trust, you become a hero too. Join us in the fight to protect our landscapes and secure a better future for Surrey.
Thank you for being a hero for nature.
Conservation grazing is an ongoing operation for Surrey Wildlife Trust, as we seek to protect, extend and improve vital habitats for years to come.