Sean Harrison has written to us with news of his new role as a Woodland Advisor for the Surrey Hills Areo of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  This will be of particular interest to those who have woodlands in or near this area.

“I have recently joined the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) board as their Woodland Advisor.

The Surrey Hills was one of the first landscapes to be designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) back in 1958. It is one of a family of nationally protected landscapes that includes the Cotswolds and the Chilterns.

The Surrey Hills stretches across a quarter of the county and includes the chalk slopes of the North Downs from Farnham in the west to Oxted in the east and extends south to the deeply wooded Greensand Hills, which rise in Haslemere. This landscape is well known for some of the most familiar beauty spots in England, including Box Hill, Leith Hill and the Devils Punchbowl.

For further information on the Surrey Hills & to see a map, visit www.surreyhills.org

My main role is to identify those areas of unmanaged ancient woodland and plantations on ancient woodland (PAWS), approach the owners or managers to provide the appropriate site management advice. This may include an assessment of remnant biological and archaeological features, current and favoured site conditions as well as any opportunities for income generation; where this is deemed appropriate.

In addition, I will discuss the objectives of the owner and produce a forest plan. This does not commit the owner to undertake works but does provide the owner with a record of the resource and possible management options.
By working closely with the Forestry Commission and the Woodland Trust, I am able to help with the strategic targeting of grants to assist with management of sites within the Surrey Hills area.

I am also involved with the promotion of the professional development of wood fuel production and its associated woodland management in the Surrey Hills area. To help with this, I’m keen to make contact and work with the many local contractors to ensure that they are aware of the resource available.

If you have woodland within the Surrey Hills AONB area and you feel that I may be able to assist with your plans, then please don’t hesitate to contact me by email at [email protected]”.