Indoor Meeting

Speaker: Dave Elliott (Lead Ranger South Downs West, National Trust) The talk will cover the ecology of the Water Vole, the reasons why it has disappeared locally, and what is happening across the River Wey catchment to try and ensure a comeback.

After the short business meeting there will bean illustrated talk.An update of the Greater Horseshoe BatProject: Horseshoes Heading EastSpeaker: Martyn Phillis (HNHS member)Martyn will bring us up to date with progressat the local Greater Horseshoe Bat roost. Hewill also explain how this discovery hastriggered a major conservation project acrossthe south of England.

Speaker: Dr. Mark Infield (Conservationist)From boyhood Mark has been influenced by wildlife and spent 30 years in conservation work in Africa, Asia and Europe. In 1991 he went to Lake Mburo National Park to help redress the bad effects suffered by the wildlife. He worked on a community conservation project with education and consultation with […]

Speaker: Michael JosephMichael and Jane Joseph, living near Billingshurst, have established a beautiful garden full of wildlife habitats and an impressive wildflower meadow. In achieving this their photographs showed best practice by having: plant diversity with a long flowering season to attract birds and insects; the need for water, as in ponds; plenty of dense […]

Virtual presentation on Zoom Speaker: Chris Stewart (ProfessionalGardener)Chris described the earthworm as “the ultimate eco-engineer” for its work as a decomposer. There are at least 25 native species which are divided into 3 groups: Epogeic, living in the top 25mm of soil; Endogeic living in the top soil and burrowing horizontally; and Anecic, living deeper […]

Speaker: Aimee Felus (Chief Executive of the Western Sussex Rivers Trust) To an audience of 51, Aimee gave a comprehensive, but with depressing aspects, talk on the Health of Rivers. As CEO of the Western Sussex Rivers Trust (WSRT) she focussed on the Rivers Rother and Arun and their environs.Considering the state of waterways, WSRT […]

Lee Davies, Collections Manager, gave an informative and lively talk on Zoom to 23 members. The collection has 1.3 million specimens from all over the word with nearly 4,000 being added each year, sent in by the British Mycology Society and from expeditions.  Dry condition of 43% humidity and cool conditions of 18°C are needed […]

After the short business meeting there will be an illustrated Talk. Wildlife Projects in Haslemere and BeyondSpeaker: Gareth Matthes (Ecologist and HNHS member) Gareth, as a local ecologist, spoke to an audience of 39 of wide-ranging schemes and plans with which he is involved.He gave a number of useful contact details should members want to […]

Paul Stevens (Ecologist with increasing specialisation in hirundines and swifts) To a large audience of 60, Paul’s photos showed the physical difference between these species.Barn Swallow: Besides barns will nest in out-houses with an open door.  Mud is collected and added to an existing nest or to build a new one. There can be 3 […]

Speaker: Michael Blencowe (Sussex naturalist, co-author of “Butterflies of Sussex” and wildlife guide) An audience of over 60 enjoyed the presentation which had not only photographs but sounds of birds and entertaining, animated comments and diagrams.By the use of trail cameras and ultraviolet torches Michael recounted his night excursions, including:In the garden: sounds of Green […]