Guildford Goes Wild, a free day-long celebration of Surrey's wonderful wildlife and what we can all do to protect it will take place at ZERO Carbon Guildford and within the North Street rotunda on Saturday, 15 July. All are welcome.
Organised by Surrey Wildlife Trust in collaboration with ZERO Carbon Guildford, the event brings more than six organisations with a shared goal of restoring Surrey's natural environment together to present a day of free inspiration, activism, and fun for people of all ages.
Throughout the day, visitors to ZERO Carbon Guildford will be able to:
- Talk to representatives from local organisations including RHS Wisley, the Surrey Hills Society and Guildford Environmental Forum as well as Surrey Wildlife Trust, and learn how they can get involved.
- Listen to informative talks from The Wildlife Trusts' outdoor education expert and community organiser Bryony Carter, wildlife fanatic Talay Namintraporn and campaigner and strategist Owen Gibbons.
- Enjoy healthy and delicious food from the ZERO Carbon vegan café.
- Find out about how Biodiversity Opportunity Areas are creating connected networks of wildlife habitat, including in our towns and cities.
- Take part in fun activities for families, including building bug hotels and creating mini herb gardens.
Surrey is one of the UK's most biodiverse counties, with nationally significant heathland, chalk grassland, woodland and wetlands. But its unique diversity of species is under more threat than ever, with one third of species extinct or in danger, and even formerly common animals from frogs to house sparrows becoming scarce thanks to human activity.
Surrey Wildlife Trust believes that nature's decline is far from inevitable - and Guildford Goes Wild is all about showing local people how they can both help create thriving and beautiful habitats in their own neighbourhoods and benefit from closer day-to-day contact with the natural world.
Surrey Wildlife Trust's Community Officer Billie Pearce says:
"Although the news headlines about environmental destruction and decline can make the situation seem hopeless, none of this needs to happen. You don't need to be an expert to take meaningful action for nature - and this event is about showing that anyone can do something to help.
“We also want people who wouldn't normally take an interest in conservation to join us; we'll demonstrate that working with nature is fun, good for you and is a great way to experience a sense of achievement and purpose."
ZERO Carbon’s Ben McCallan says:
“Urban Greening is a really important piece of the jigsaw in protecting Surrey's countryside & wildlife, which is declining at a faster rate than the national average. Not only does creating biodiversity corridors support wildlife, but it has many co-benefits for air quality, rainwater absorption, natural shading, and mental health.
“I remember how great Guildford Goes Wild was when SWT ran it before lockdown, so ZERO is really chuffed to be partnering up on it this year.”
The event is supported by funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF), creating a legacy for The Queen's Platinum Jubilee.