Pewley Down Volunteers: Summer Programme 2009.
Pewley Down is your Local Nature Reserve, owned and managed by Guildford Borough Council.Pewley Down Volunteers work under the guidance of GBC. We meet on the first Saturday of every month, at 10:00, by the Pewley Hill entrance. We work, with a coffee break, till 12:30. Volunteers should bring their own strong gloves and boots. Children remain the responsibility of their parents. Participation by Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Candidates is encouraged. The work is to keep the scrub under control, using saws, rakes and loppers. Brushcutting, using machinery, is carried out only by volunteers who have been trained for the work.In addition to the work of scrub control, every summer we monitor wildlife during the work parties. All meetings start at 10:00 by the Pewley Hill entrance, unless otherwise indicated.
- Butterfly Transect: completed weekly from April-October by Peter Curnock. This is part of the research carried out for Butterfly Conservation.
- Saturday 2nd May. 10:00. Work party continues scrub management in compartment 8. Pewley Down Volunteers hold AGM at the look out point at 11:15.
- SUNDAY 3rd May. ‘Birds on a Spring Morning’ led by Bryan Yendole. Meet by the Pewley Hill Entrance at 7:00 am. Binoculars needed. No dogs, please. Fine weather only.
- Saturday 16th May. Christine Skinner of the Old Surrey Downs Project leads guided walk round Pewley Down. 10:30-12:00.
- Saturday 6th June. 10:00. Scrub management and cutting back footpaths. Kidney Vetch and Small Blue count. Additional activity: 10:30 Wild Flower Walk around Pewley Down, led by Judy Moss.
- Saturday 4th July. 10:00. Continue with scrub management. Annual Count of Pyramidal Orchids. This is the seventh year we have carried this out. Walking boots required, as the ground is very rough.
- Saturday 1st August. 10:00. Cut back paths and scrub management. Annual Count of Chalk-hill Blue Butterflies, led by Peter Curnock.
- Saturday 1st August. At 14:00. ‘A Hilly Walk Looking at Butterfly Conservation Work’. Led by Peter Curnock. Meet at the Pewley Hill entrance. This walk is part of Guildford Walkfest.
- Thursday 13th August. 20:45-22:30. Pewley Nightlife Event to look at Bats & Moths. Organised by the Countryside Team at GBC. Meet at the Pewley Hill entrance. Recommend stout footwear and warm clothing. Bring a torch. Pre-booking essential on 444771.
- Saturday 5th September. 10:00. Begin clearing dead scrub in comp. 5. During the morning David Baldock, writer and expert on Grasshoppers and Crickets, will lead a search for grasshoppers around Pewley Down. Children welcome.
