This secluded reserve near Ockley is brimming with stunning flora and fauna. It supports a variety of habitats including wet and dry woodland and open water, and is best known for its fungi – of which over 900 species have been recorded, including six species new to Britain. Vann Lake is a fine example of ancient woodland. Surrounding an eight-acre man-made lake, it is thought to date from the mid-18th century, when a gill was dammed to form a ‘hammer pond’ to power a mill, which was never built.
Surrey Wildlife Trust has owned and managed the site since 1987, but as of 2023 a new acre of land next to the existing reserve became available to buy.
Through a generous living legacy, its purchase was secured. The whole reserve – including the newly-acquired area – is a SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest), designated because of its ecological richness. As someone who cares passionately about Surrey’s wild places, our kind donor wanted to leave a living legacy which would be realised during their lifetime and last far beyond.
Director of Reserves Management James Herd says: “The thing that impresses me most is that this individual shares our belief that in the face of a climate and nature emergency, optimism and action are the only sensible response. If we take a long-term view and each do what we can, there's no reason why we can't create and maintain more places like Vann Lake, for the benefit of the generations to come.”
Watch the below video to hear more about Vann Lake from James Herd.