WIREDGOV

Sand lizards, nightjars and natterjack toads are among the litany of species that people can enjoy at new Wealden Heaths National Nature Reserve in Surrey.

• Nature reserve declared at the landscape that inspired the likes of Tennyson and Conan Doyle, as well as its folkloric origins as the home of Thor.
• This marks the 9th National Nature Reserve to launch as part of the King’s Series of National Nature Reserves, which will see 25 reserves created or extended by 2027

A landscape in Surrey beloved by lizards and literary greats and home to an area known as the Devil’s Punch Bowl, is to become the latest National Nature Reserve.

The Wealden Heaths National Nature Reserve, in the heart of the Surrey countryside and on the doorstep of more than a quarter of a million people, has today (Friday 27th June) been declared by Natural England the 9th National Nature Reserve in the King’s Series.

This new reserve is a collaboration between nine partners; Natural England, RSPB, National Trust, Surrey Wildlife Trust, Hampton Estate (private farming estate), Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust, Waverley Borough Council, Surrey County Council and Forestry England, with further support from the Surrey Hills National Landscape. 

The reserve has secured its status as a haven for wildlife, ensuring that it can provide a home for rare species such as Nightjars, Sand Lizards, Adders and Natterjack Toads into the future and an area of 2,765ha of greenspace accessible by hundreds of thousands of people.

Wealden Heaths National Nature Reserve stretches across an area around three times that of Richmond Park, boasting a rich mix of open dry and wet heath, acidic grassland, regenerating woodland, and scrubby heath.

Heathland habitats are incredibly important for a range of species, and popular with walkers, cyclists and riders. However, heathlands in England have declined by around 80% in the last two centuries, making this declaration vitally important for the survival of these precious places.

The exceptional nature on display in this area, alongside its easy connections with London mean it already sees thousands of visitors each year, and its declaration as a National Nature Reserve means that future generations will continue to be able to connect with nature in the idyllic surroundings of the reserve. The reserve also includes a nature friendly farmed estate, adding to its potential to boost the local economy along with visitor spend.

Click here for the full press release