Surrey’s Important Grasslands Inventory lists rare sites needing protection

The distribution of Surrey’s most delicate and biodiverse grassland habitats – species-rich meadows and pastures once used for grazing but now havens for wildflowers and wildlife, including Small Blue butterflies, Skylarks and colourful waxcap fungi – is now better understood and will hopefully be further protected thanks to Surrey Wildlife Trust staff, partners and volunteers who have completed a full inventory of these little-known and at-risk sites.

These grasslands are the last remaining habitats left for the diversity of colourful wildflowers – such as Bee Orchids, Sneezewort, Hoary Cinquefoil, Harebell, Common Cudweed and Horseshoe Vetch – of traditionally-managed pastures and meadows. They are relatively free from the growth-promoting fertilisers, sown grass monocultures, and drainage efforts that were widely used since the mid-20^th Century to support more farm animals for longer and fatten them faster. Some of these sites will now be recommended as new Sites of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCIs), which must be considered for protection by planning authorities when they determine development applications.  

The Surrey Important Grasslands Inventory 1.0 replaces the earlier publication of an interim Old Grasslands Inventory report in May 2025.  It lists 460 sites, amounting to just under 39 square kilometres of Surrey, supporting the best examples of all types of grasslands, be they in the Downs, on old commons and village greens, or in parks and churchyards. That such habitats are so rare and deserving of protection is underlined by the fact that despite these apparently large totals, the list still only accounts for 2.3% of Surrey’s land area.

Surrey Important Grasslands Inventory 1.0

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*Note document was updated 24.02.26

Surrey Important Grasslands Inventory – Appendix I

Sites included on the inventory, organised by borough

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Surrey Important Grasslands Inventory – Appendix II

Information coming soon.

With increasing pressure from development, this work is essential to protect Surrey’s last remaining grasslands – unique ecosystems that once defined our landscape and now offer hope for a more biodiverse future

These ancient grasslands are rare survivors of a traditional farming landscape, largely untouched by modern agriculture. Free from fertilisers, reseeding, and heavy drainage, they support a vibrant array of native plants – including Bee Orchids, Horseshoe Vetch, and the declining Harebell and Sneezewort.

Many now serve as grazing land for horses, but their ecological importance is profound. Chalk grasslands are among the most biodiverse habitats in the UK, while sandy and floodplain grasslands host a complex web of plant, insect, bird, and reptile life.

Discoveries Already Making a Difference

In 2023–24, field surveys led by SWT’s Director of Research and Monitoring, Mike Waite, revealed several previously unrecorded grasslands rich in rare and declining species. These newly identified sites will now be considered for designation as Sites of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCIs) – a vital step toward safeguarding them in local planning decisions.

A Foundation for Nature Recovery

The Inventory is also a key foundation for the county’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy, helping guide local planning, Biodiversity Net Gain opportunities, and the creation of a Nature Recovery Network for Surrey.

Learn more about Surrey’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

Survey sites

An app has been created to help surveyors identify the relevant criteria needed to determine if a site should be included in the inventory. Surveys started in summer 2023, conducted by Surrey Wildlife Trust staff, and volunteers from the Surrey Botanical Society, to help determine whether the site should be included in the inventory.

Sites included in the final Inventory may also qualify as non-statutory Local Wildlife Sites or Sites of Nature Conservation Importance (SNCI) as they are known in Surrey, which will also ensure that these irreplaceable grasslands are recognised within the planning system. SNCIs are identified by the Surrey Local Sites Partnership (SLSP) against defined habitat and species criteria formally adopted by the Surrey Nature Partnership.

Surrey Botanical Society

The Surrey Botanical Society has, in preparation for the project, compiled and internally consulted on an updated list of axiophyte vascular plant species.

Axiophytes (sometimes referred to as “worthy plants”) are species that are considered to be indicators of important habitats for conservation and can indicate a period of historical continuity of permanent pasture (comparable with the concept of ‘ancient woodland indicator species’) and include Pyramidal Orchid, Kidney Vetch, Lady’s Bedstraw and Fairy Flax.

While the presence of any one of these axiophyte species cannot by itself confirm the existence of a long-standing unimproved or semi-improved grassland, as an assemblage and when present as a self-sustaining native population, they can.

Collaboration for Conservation

The inventory is the result of a wide-reaching partnership between:

• Surrey Wildlife Trust
• Surrey County Council
• Surrey Biodiversity Information Centre
• Natural England
• Surrey Botanical Society
• Butterfly Conservation (Surrey advisors)
• Surrey Fungus Study Group

Together, these organisations have begun identifying the very best examples of grassland habitat across the county, with the goal of improving management and long-term protection.

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