by

Hazel dormice at Brockham Quarry

Hazel Dormice have disappeared from many counties in the UK and according to ZSL are now at risk of extinction in the UK due to woodland habitat loss and mismanagement.

The latest place to benefit from boxes funded by the Lower Mole Countryside Trust is Brockham Quarry, formerly Limeworks.  

Checks were carried out under licence in May and June 2023 with exciting results: dormice were found in 5 of the boxes.  The dormouse pictured is a female who is possibly pregnant, another encouraging development. 

The site has never been surveyed before and the data collected is of national importance and essential in managing the woodland to ensure the dormice have the best chance of surviving and hopefully multiplying.

Extra boxes were installed to further aid in the research and provide even more homes for these endearing native mammals.

by

Ashtead Village Day – 10th June 2023

The Lower Mole Countryside Trust and the Lower Mole Partnership attended Ashtead Village Day on a scorching hot day in early June 2023.  The event is very popular and attracts large crowds so is ideal to showcase the work we do, the beauty and accessibility of the areas of Surrey and Kingston in which we work and to promote volunteering and sustainability.

Demonstrations of routing, normally used in making signposts , drew interested spectators of all ages and raised money for the Trust through creating house and garden signs, the most popular one being ‘Grumpy’s Shed!

by

Young Street verge

Over the last four years LMP volunteers, financially supported by the Trust, have cleared over one hectare of scrub from this rich sward. This has seen the return of cowslips and orchids and increased recordings of butterflies.

The species recordings so far have been useful, however, a full detailed survey would indicate the true value of the site.  The Trust has awarded a Grant of £500 for an independent survey by a qualified ecologist to be carried out over 4 visits throughout the spring and summer. 2023 and will involve National Vegetation Classification (NVC) assessment and a condition assessment and will cover bryophytes as well as vascular plants. 

 

by

Rye Brook Ashtead Common

In November the LMP completed the third and final year of work on the  three year work plan, carrying out improvements along the Rye Brook on Ashtead Common.  Work was completed in the wetland area close to the flow structure.  This follows on from a previous agreement and is supported by the City of London Corporation, via a grant made to the Lower Mole Trust.

by

Grants:

Moor Lane Allotments Coppicing Group

A grant was agreed for the provision of tools to allow members of the Moor Lane Allotments Coppicing Group to manage woodland adjacent to the Bonesgate Stream.  This is important for biodiversity along the stream that flows into the Hogsmill River. Product from the coppicing is used in the adjacent allotments.

by

Lower Mole Trust AGM

On Wednesday 22 March 2023 the twentieth Lower Mole Countryside Trust AGM took place, generously hosted by the City of London Ashtead Common Team at their headquarters.  This is a return to holding the event in person rather than on Zoom as we were forced to do during the Covid pandemic and friends and family were invited to attend.

Once the business of the AGM was completed Stewart Cocker, Countryside Manager for Epsom and Ewell Borough Council, gave a fascinating illustrated talk on the River Hogsmill Improvement Plan.  As one of only about 200 chalk streams known in the world, the river is extremely important but suffers from all the pressures of running through an increasingly densely populated area and the impact of climate change.

The evening finished with refreshments and a chance to socialise.

The Annual Report 2022 LMCT Annual Report 2022

by

Dormouse boxes at Brockham Quarry

The Lower Mole Countryside Trust provided funding for volunteers from the Lower Mole Partnership to make dormouse boxes.  Brockham Quarry was chosen as the latest site to benefit and 10 boxes were installed during a visit on 12 July 2022.

Hazel dormice are hard to spot – they live high in trees, only come out at night and are also found in very few places in the UK.  They build nests out of grass and leaves ready for the female to give birth to up to seven young.

In autumn, dormice start looking for the perfect spot to hibernate for winter. They often choose to sleep in logs or leaves at the base of trees or just beneath the ground, where they can avoid the winter cold.

They won’t brave open spaces and need trees or undergrowth cover to travel between sites.  These arboreal corridors are of extreme importance in aiding their spread.  Although Brockham Quarry has no record of dormice they are frequently recorded in surrounding areas and the boxes will be monitored and the data added to give a clearer picture of their distribution and inform future  management of the site.

by

Trust attends Ashtead Village Day

Directors and members of the Lower Mole Countryside Trust joined the Lower Mole Partnership in attending Ashtead Village Day on Saturday 11 June 2022. The weather was kind and there was a carnival atmosphere, perhaps because this was the first year the fair had been staged since the Covid pandemic.

It was a great opportunity to publicise the work of both the Partnership and the Trust. We received a lot of attention and approval by routing house signs from off-cuts of wood from our regular sign making and repurposing old walk signs.

All profits go to the Trust to provide more grants to help improve the environment through practical conservation projects throughout the North Surrey and Kingston upon Thames area.