24th November 2010

Grant Funders visit Snaky Lane

Snaky Lane Community Wildlife Group has enhanced the site’s facilities to benefit the local community, thanks to a Grassroots Grant of £4,500. The money has been used to:

• Install ten nature trail posts incorporating special brass rubbing plates.
• Create and produce interpretation sheets for each of the posts for use by local schoolchildren.
• Extend the hard surface path to allow easier access to the cattle area.

On Wednesday 24th November the Director of the funding group, together with some of the staff and members of the Committee, paid a visit to the site to see the work that has been carried out and and to meet members of the Snaky Lane Community Wildlife Group was well as pupils and staff from Holly Lodge School.

As the site is just across the road from Holly Lodge Primary School, teachers regularly take their pupils to visit as part of their studies. Working with the school the nature trail posts and interpretation sheets have been produced to support these visits, so that the children can learn more about the site’s wildlife. Each post features wildlife found at the site: Badger, Bramble, Butterfly, Deer, Dragonfly, Fox Green Woodpecker, Oak Tree, Slow worm and  Stag Beetle.

Ever since the Snaky Lane Community Wildlife Group were re-established in 2005 they have gradually turned the seven-acre site into a local wildlife haven and a focal point for the local community. Various improvements, including a surfaced footpath, have opened up the site making it more accessible to all.

Three years ago a grazing regime was established as part of a traditional meadow management project. This includes two Highland Cattle coming onto the site over the winter months to graze part of the meadow; this year it’s Calum and Franny.  For the past two winters a small number of sheep have grazed the site along with the cattle. Cattle use their tongues to pull up clumps of long grass, while sheep nibble the sward to a much lower level. This combination helps improve the grassland flora and fauna and also improves access to the unused part of the site As well as helping to manage the meadow, the livestock creates further community interest with volunteers visiting the site daily to ensure the animals are safe and well.

The Grassroots Grant is managed through the Community Development Foundation for Surrey and funded by the Office of the Third Sector (OTS).

Located in the very north-west corner of Guildford Borough in Ash Vale between Stratford Road and Meadow Close, Snaky Lane is managed by the Snaky Lane Community Wildlife Group for people and wildlife. With the help of the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership, the group meet on the first Sunday of each month to carrying out conservation and management work. 

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Find out more about Snaky Lane >>>

For more information contact:
Christine Reeves, Visitor Promotions Officer on 01252 331353.
Ash Lock Cottage, Government Road, Aldershot GU11 2PS.