4th September 2008

Snaky gets MOOving

Members of the two groups and the new fence Cattle are coming to Snaky Lane, thanks to a BBC Breathing Places grant and some new fencing that
will keep them safe. Work to start installing the new fence started last Sunday (31st August) when Snaky Lane Community Wildlife Group was joined by a team from Rowhill Nature Reserve. The work includes a
special celebratory open day on Sunday 21st September to tell local people about the project.

Located in the very north-west corner of Guildford Borough, the seven-acre Snaky Lane wildlife area is managed by the Snaky Lane Community Wildlife Group, which was first formed in 1993 when enthusiastic local residents working with the owners, Guildford Borough Council, began to develop the area for people and wildlife. With the help of the Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership, the group now meet on the first Sunday of each month to carrying out conservation and management work.

The new fence has a local connection as it is made of ‘split’ chestnut that came from Rowhill Nature Reserve, much of it from trees blown over in the 1987 storms. At the time the trees that blew over were cut back and where possible the root stumps uprighted. The new fencing includes timber from 1987 as well as some cut last winter from regrowth on the righted stumps. Over this summer the Rowhill volunteers have been working hard to split and shape the chestnut by hand and have been training members of the Snaky Lane group at the same time. Snaky Lane member Julie Culver explained: “It has been a great opportunity to learn a woodland craft from experts. The Rowhill Conservation Volunteers were really welcoming and very patient with us as beginners.”

On Sunday it was time to see the hard work come to fruition when the fence started to go up. Roy Champion of Rowhill Conservation Volunteers said: “We were very happy to help the Snaky group with this project. We try to put as much of the wood from Rowhill to good use as possible and it has been great to be able to use some of the chestnut that we have kept for over 20 years.” Chestnut is a very durable wood that is resistant to rotting so the fence should last for many years to come.

To complement the work contractors are installing stock fencing around the area, to enable cattle to be brought on to the site in autumn.

Money for the project came from a Big Lottery Breathing Places grant of £9,125, which was awarded to the Snaky Lane Group in May. In addition to the fencing the grant money will go towards training local people to enable them to oversee the cattle when they are on site and also pay for a new interpretation board on conservation grazing.

Grazing is a traditional form of meadow management and will maintain and improve the site’s grassland flora and fauna. It will also improve access to the unused part of the site, whilst the cattle will provide a focal point for local people encouraging interest and involvement in the site.

There will be an Open Day at Snaky Lane on Sunday 21st September from 10.30am to 3.30pm and everyone is welcome to come along and learn more about the grazing project. There will be a chance to meet some of the Highland cattle that will be grazing the site, plus some birds of prey and there will be mini-beast hunts for visiting children.

END

For further information contact:Sue Dent or Christine Reeves on 01252 331353.
Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership, Ash Lock Cottage, Government Road, Aldershot GU11 2PS.

NOTES

The site is owned by Guildford Borough Council. Snaky Lane Community Wildlife Group manages the site on their behalf.
Blackwater Valley Countryside Partnership supports a number of volunteer groups throughout the Valley including the Snaky Lane Community Wildlife Group, to help them look after their local green spaces.
The area known as Snaky Lane was once the property of the Abbot of Chertsey Abbey when he was the Lord of the Manor of Ash. He was given the land in 1323 by a William Souter.
By 1871 the area had been incorporated into Lynchford Castle Farm which covered a total of 70 acres and belonged to a James Nash.
The road through Mr. Nash’s farm was named as Stratford Road in a list prepared for Ash Parish Council in 1907 although it was widely known as Snaky Lane, although we do not know why.