Fencing for wildlife

Thanks to an amazing group of volunteers, two wildlife protection areas are well under way on the Meadow.

The Meadow is home to many small mammals including hedgehogs, shrews and voles.  By creating these undisturbed areas, we hope these and other creatures found on the Meadow will continue to increase in number.

Hedging will be planted along the line of the fence so that in time, a more natural boundary will be visible.

Safe spaces for wildlife

It was soggy and muddy on the Meadow when a group of stalwart volunteers turned out yesterday, 5th November.

Their purpose was to start putting up fencing alongside the cemetary wall – the first step towards creating protected areas for wildlife on the Bishop’s Meadow.  We have been able to implement this project thanks to grants received from the Farnham Town Council and the Tesco Community Fund.

The work will be continuing over the next couple of weeks – so if you are on the Meadow please stop for a chat!

BMT welcomes new directors

We are delighted to welcome 2 new directors/trustees to the Board of the Bishop’s Meadow Trust.

At our AGM held on 11th October 2015, BMT members voted Ed Partridge and Jeremy Ricketts onto the Board.  Ed is already known to many long-standing members as a founding member of the BMT and has returned to the Board after a short absence working in Holland.  Jeremy will be a familiar face to Farnham residents as a former Mayor of our town. Each of them brings outstanding expertise to the Board and their contribution will strengthen the governance of the BMT.

The BMT membership also re-elected Bill Dolan, Jim Munro and Pippa Hoyland to the Board.

Fish passages on the River Wey

The Bishop’s Meadow Trust has been approached by the Environment Agency to make improvements to the weir on part of the River Wey which runs through the meadow.

A spokesperson from the Environment Agency explained ” along the River Wey there are many barriers which prevent fish from being able to move freely up and downstream. At this site, the optimum solution is to bolt baffles onto the face of the weir.  These break up the flow and create a depth of water on the face of the weir – enabling most species of fish to travel up the weir”

A preliminary visit took place at the site today 23rd October 2015 to take measurements before the work begins. Representatives of the Environment Agency and their contracted company met BMT’s Chairman, Vic Green at the spot of the planned work.  The project should be completed before the end of the year.