News Summer/Autumn 2026

News Summer/Autumn 2026

Shamley Green's Ponds, and the role of SGEG

Duck Pond July 2025 (it looked the same in July 2022 and July 2026!)

With many people in the village lamenting the regular drying out of the Duck Pond in summer, this may be a good time to clarify what role SGEG plays in managing both village ponds. SGEG is an informal group of residents interested in the village environment. We run our own volunteer activities, aimed at promoting biodiversity in our village. Also, to inform the management plans of the PC, we pass on to them records of our observations and any expert advice we have obtained.

The Duck Pond is on common land owned by Waverley Borough Council but managed by the Parish Council, primarily funded by our Council Tax. The PC gets Waverley permission for any significant works. The PC is also managing the Bricklayer’s Pond, pending registration as its formal owner.

We have provided the PC with first hand information on the ponds since SGEG was formed in 2021, and have passed on the advice of a senior professional water engineer: see his report here

In 2021 the PC said that it was managing the Duck Pond primarily for the benefit of local people and the Bricklayers Pond primarily for nature and biodiversity. The PC funded an ecological survey in 2020 and has acted on some of their recommendations (such as regularly clearing reed mace from the Bricklayers Pond), but not others (such as infilling the Duck Pond to beat the invasive Crassula there - this was instead achieved by removing it diligently, for which we have Patrick Mannix and his team to thank).

Since 2022:

We have measured water levels in the Duck Pond and the surrounding water table and researched the water sources. It is primarily rainfed from the hillside above Summer Meadow through the ditch that flows across the Green in front of the Malt House and alongside Woodhill Lane.
We have measured the pond depth: the Freshwater Trust argues that shallow ponds are good for wildlife and their inhabitants can cope with periodic drying out. They assess shallow ponds as anything below one metre. Our pond is less than half that at its deepest point. Even with some silt removal it would remain a shallow pond.
We have assessed water loss and, as far as the evidence allows, the likely causes. These include surrounding vegetation, and evaporation in our increasingly hot summers. As the water levels drop, temperatures rise and evaporation speeds up. There was little evidence of leaks apart from through the old spillway wall.

We have worked with neighbours under whose land the water course to the pond flows to remove blockages and encouraged the PC to undertake a winter programme of ditch clearance.
We have recommended the installation of a silt pond to reduce silt inflow to the Duck Pond
We have recommended replacing and raising the spillway to increase water level

We have helped to control an outbreak of Azolla filiculoides in the Bricklayers Pond.
We have supported the PC’s programme of winter works to manage vegetation around both ponds.

Water level monitoring in the Duck Pond

Azolla smothering the Bricklayers Pond 2023

Raised spillway from Duck Pond Oct 2026

In January 2026 we made recommendations to the PC, based on the four years of analysis, for removal of silt from one third of the pond each time it dried out and its use to raise the pond banks so that with the raised spillway it retained water for longer in drought summers. The work would have been done by volunteers and so at no or minimal cost to the taxpayer.

These recommendations were not accepted because of concerns about possible damage to the pond’s ecology. The PC is drafting its own longer-term plan for the pond and plans an ecological survey in 2027 to help it decide whether to take any action to preserve the pond.

The future of the Duck Pond

As an informal group SGEG includes many opinions on the future of the pond. None of us supports making it a deep-water pond and lining it with plastic. Some want action when the pond is dry to remove silt and vegetation growth in the pond to sustain water for longer. Others are more concerned about the risks to wildlife of summer clearance.

Increasing the volume of water with a raised spillway and de-silting could keep visible water in the pond for longer, but the Duck Pond has always dried out for a time in a very dry summer, and this is bound to happen more often and for longer as summers get hotter and drier because of climate change.

Ultimately we need to tackle the root causes of climate change by trying to reduce the very high carbon emissions in our Parish and worldwide. If the climate continues on its present trajectory, then we’ll have a lot worse to worry about than a dry village pond.

Could your home use less energy?

Here is some helpful advice for anyone wanting to save energy and cut emissions, while staying warm, and saving money. We are very lucky to have Zero in Guildford right on our doorstep, who will send one of their helpful HEAT advisors to your home for a free survey to see how you could make it more comfortable and energy efficient. It's fascinating to see what their thermal camera picks up!

There are also Home Energy Showcases coming up in Dorking and Guildford in November where you can find out more about heat pumps, solar panels and battery installers and suppliers, plus three monthly heat pump and solar cafes in Zero Carbon Guildford where you can chat informally about these things

Do YOU have experience of these new technologies?? If so do get in touch with SGEG on info@shamleygreenenvironment.co.uk so we can all share information about our experiences.

Tree Succession in Shamley Green

This young elm had a lucky escape when a branch from one of the horse chestnuts came crashing to the ground in storm Austen/Boelo, October 2026

To replace the declining horse chestnuts on the southern approach to Shamley Green, a line of elm trees was planted in 2023 by SGEG, with generous sponsorship from Sue and Alan Pavia. One horse chestnut had already been felled in 2022 for safety reasons, but it was clear that the others would eventually need to go. Well now the council tree surveyor has recommended two more for felling, which will probably take place soon, and our little new elms will start to come into their own.

These elms are doing really well, in spite of the really difficult summer we have just had. They are a hybrid variety known as ‘Rebona’, which has proved to be a very successful street tree in Europe, and which is highly resistant to Dutch elm disease, as well as being heat tolerant, wind resistant, and resistant to flooding, so we hope they are a good choice to cope with climate change.

Google Maps image of Easteds Green in 2008 - with 7 big trees!

Sad to lose the children's climbing tree, but as it declines it will become dangerous

Elsewhere in the village:

there used to be seven big manna ash and whitebeam trees by Easteds, overlooking the Cricket Green, but gradually honey fungus has taken its toll and now there are only three trees left. Expect to see a new tree planted here soon, hopefully one which will cope not only with climate change but with honey fungus too. With the hornbeam planted in 2017 we hope these will eventually restore the tree-lined appearance of our cricket green.
Near the Duck Pond we plan to plant another weeping willow to take over from the existing one there, which may not have many years left having lost a big branch in 2023.

Down by the playground at Lords Hill there is a big flowering cherry which has come to the end of its life – a pity as the local children enjoy climbing it! It will be replaced with another cherry species, one with single flowers which will be more beneficial to pollinators than the existing double flowered variety.

Botanical Survey finds rare Chamomile growing on our Cricket Green

Botanists from the Surrey Botanical Society inspecting our parched Cricket Green this summer were excited to find large patches of English Chamomile there – a rare and endangered species, Chamaemelum nobile. It was thriving even in the terrible drought we were experiencing in Shamley Green at the time. The regular mowing of this green creates the open conditions needed by this little herb, and when the grass goes brown and the mowing stops then the Chamomile bursts into flower!

The mowing regime adopted by the PC for Shamley Green aims to provide a mosaic of habitats. Some areas like this need to be kept short not only for playing cricket but also to maintain sight lines for traffic, and the regular mowing and trampling favours plants like Chamomile as well as the more familiar daisies and other lawn ‘weeds’. Other areas are mown less often to encourage different species to grow, flower and set seed, providing shelter and food for the animals there and supporting the pollinating insects which are under such threat from habitat loss. You can see the latest mowing maps on our mowing page

Regular mowing favours the survival of this rare species

A visit to Healy's Wood and Barnett Fields

Early this summer a group of us from SGEG got together with the Barnett Fields Group* in Wonersh for a ’guided tour’ around Barnett Fields and Healy's Wood. It was a great opportunity to swap notes and share experiences about volunteering on the Common land (and newly purchased land) in our parish. All their hard work is very impressive.

In the Barnett fields, BFG* are grazing sheep to manage the dock, brambles and thistles for a more diverse grass and wildflower sward. In Healy’s Wood they have opened up glades to allow in more light to improve biodiversity and used the cut wood to make structures to protect coppiced trees and to mark out paths. They have installed bat and bird boxes, plan to plant 25 fruit trees, and are monitoring the existing reptile and butterfly populations. It’s hoped that the improvement in habitat will increase the numbers of all species on this newly acquired land which is owned by the Parish.

Everyone is welcome to walk around Barnett Fields/Healy’s Wood, any time - it's well worth a visit!

SGEG and the Barnett Fields Group (BFG)* in the pub afterwards

Big Butterfly Count results 2026:
Heatwaves help butterflies but could kill caterpillars

The results of Butterfly Conservation's 2026 Big Butterfly Count have revealed it was a great summer for butterflies, but what comes next could be dire.

With the Met Office confirming it to be the hottest summer on record, August saw the UK's National Drought Group declare more than 70% of England officially in drought, with almost all of the UK experiencing drier than usual conditions.

Butterfly Conservation now fears that the real cost of this summer's extreme weather may not be felt until next year, when drought-stressed caterpillars should be emerging as adults. Click here for the full account from Butterfly Conservation

A Painted Lady finds a rare source of nectar in a parched environment this summer. Picture: Pete Hughes

Another good year for the Spring 2026 Toad Patrol

Final results for the 2026 spring toad patrol have now been collated. Interestingly, although we did not have really bumper nights as in previous years, overall the numbers in Woodhill Lane were quite similar to 2024 and 2025 with a grand total of 2706 animals helped safely on their way. See the latest figures on our reports page

This was only possible thanks to all the wonderful help we have been given. Thanks so much to our dedicated team of Toad Patrollers!

Upcoming Friends' Litter Picks

We are planning some friends' litter picks over the winter. Thank you to all of you who have taken part in the past, I know we mainly find them very satisfying. These picks take place, usually over 2 or 3 mornings, on the roads South of of Shamley Green starting on Run Common Road.

This time we plan to have them on the same dates as the Wonersh team litter picks on 21st November, 9th January, and 13th March. Clive Ferrey at Wonersh is keen to raise the profile of litter picks and feels that by doing something collectively we might be able to get some publicity.

If you would like to join us do get in touch on info@shamleygreenenvironment.co.uk - we'd love to hear from you

SGEG