Autumn chalk stream update
MP engagement on chalk streams We were delighted to be consulted by Victoria Collins MP for Harpenden and Berkhamsted ahead of her first debate on…
Conservation
Conservation news
Read more…Autumn chalk stream update
Environment Agency’s dictate ignores science of saving chalk streams
Tom Beeston, Chiltern Society CO, has issued an open letter to DEFRA and the EA about the decision to resume abstraction from Alma Road in…
Abstraction to resume in the Upper Chess
River Chess Association Press Release, 1 Oct 2024: Disastrous Resumption of Damaging Abstraction in the Upper Chess. The River Chess Association was established in 2009…
Chiltern Wildlife
Bee spotting in the Chilterns with Linda Seward. Until I started photographing bees last spring, I had the average person’s interest in them. I enjoyed eating their honey…
Native Chiltern Orchids
Doug Kennedy tells us where they can be found. The natural beech woods and chalk grassland of the Chiltern Hills support the majority of the…
National Lottery Heritage Fund boost
Community WildBelt awarded grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund The Chiltern Society has been awarded a £144,989 grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund…
Marvellous Moths
Overlooked and undervalued, moths are the Cinderella of lepidoptera. Butterflies get all the glory, but at night moths come to life in all their colourful…
The launch of Nature 2030
On behalf of our hundreds of conservation volunteers, thousands of members and 1m residents of the wider Chilterns area, the Chiltern Society is backing Nature…
River Chess Community grants of up to £5K available now, do you qualify?
Are you a community group working somewhere in the Chess Catchment looking to do something to help the river chess or reduce how much water…
Pre-Christmas Work Party at the beautiful Watercress Beds
Come and join the Chiltern Society Volunteers for a pre-Christmas work party at the beautiful Watercress Beds at Ewelme on Wednesday, 21st December at 9.30am. We…
Chalk Stream Strategy – One Year On
Last autumn saw the publication of the National Chalk Stream Restoration Strategy on the banks of the River Mimram. The Strategy was developed by a…
Signs of the Times
Our countryside offers many clues to its past, writes Tony Marshall, I often lead nature rambles in the Chilterns, but I find I spend as…
Ewelme Watercress Centre, Solar Panel Installation – Update
Our site Ewelme Watercress Centre, the home of Ewelme Watercress Beds and Local Nature Reserve had solar panels installed on its roof by Sims Solar…
River Chess Workparty – Water Voles (update)
Having completed one training day and one volunteer day, we have successfully installed two large berms, two deflectors and a couple of other features on…
“Chalk Streams First”
“Chalk Streams First” coalition puts forward proposals to cease or reduce abstraction from the Colne and…
Trout in the Classroom Project – Final Stage
We have come to the final stage of this years Trout in The Classroom programme. The classes involved have been taking trips to local stretches…
River Chess Volunteer Workparty – Water Voles
Great work on the River Chess by a dozen Chiltern Society Volunteers yesterday, as we took our first steps towards increasing the available habitat for…
Photo Competition – Chess Valley Walk
We need your help! Do you enjoy taking photos when you’re out and about? Do you have any of the Chess Valley or River Chess…
One year on – A promising start to the River Chess Smarter Water Catchments plan
A collaborative initiative to improve the River Chess and the surrounding catchment is making progress. Representatives from the Chiltern Society, Thames Water and other local…
Chalk Rivers Action Group 2022 Annual Conference: 13th Feb 2022
For those not able to join us last week, or those who’d like a recap on what was an excellent conference discussing the recent “National…
Job Vacancy – Community Wildbelt Project Manager
Community Wildbelt Project Manager Responsible to: Head of Conservation Location: Office in Chesham/flexible work, with regional travel (using own transport) Contract type: Full time fixed…
Trout in the Classroom Project
Over the last fortnight schools in the local area have been receiving a special delivery – Trout fry! The Trout in the Classroom project has…
Chess Valley Walk Rejuvenation Survey
Please complete our Chess Valley Walks Survey. Thank you! Have you ever done some or all of the Chess Valley Walk? If you have walked…
The Chesham Mayoral Awards – Well done Captain’s Wood Volunteers Team
I am thrilled to announce that our Captain’s Wood Volunteer Team, have been nominated for the Volunteer Team of 2020/21 Award under the Chesham Mayoral…
Two New Recruits for the Chalk Streams and Wetland Meadows Project
We’re delighted to announce the Chiltern Society has been joined by two new recruits to work on Chalk Streams and Wetland Meadows Project, a partnership…
Woodland Management at Bottom Wood
On Monday 27th September we will be commencing the removal of some trees at our Bottom Wood site. The main objective of the work is…
£294,000 Grant Received – Recovery Challenge Fund
The Chiltern Society and Chilterns Conservation Board receives grant of £294,000 from the government’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund The Chiltern Society and the Chilterns Conservation…
2 × Vacancies – Green Recovery Challenge Fund Project
These are exciting opportunities to join a great partnership and make a real difference to the Chilterns chalk stream environment and connect people with nature.…
1000 Trees to keep Aylesbury Moving
Last Thursday was the day it all started to get real…! We plan to get 1000 Aylesbury Prune trees planted across the Tring – Wendover…
Chalk Stream Summit sees a step change in commitment from Westminster
It was fantastic to host the Chalk Stream Summit today, with Rt Hon Rebecca Pow as Minister leading the call to action. The conference was…
Himalayan Balsam Bashes
Chiltern Society volunteers have been working with the Chilterns Chalk Streams Project this year to control two infestations of Himalayan Balsam along the River Gade…
Bird Monitoring at Whiteleaf & Brush Hill
With the help of a dedicated team of volunteers, we have been monitoring bird boxes on Whiteleaf and Brush Hill for the past 4 years…
Volunteers Return to the Wormsley Estate
On a beautifully sunny and warm day in February, our volunteers returned to the Wormsley Estate near Stokenchurch to plant some more trees- another 1300…
Largest Ever Conservation Project in the Chilterns is Awarded National Lottery Funding
An ambitious project to restore and enhance the wildlife habitats, landscape features and cultural heritage of the Central Chilterns has been awarded a National Lottery…
Volunteers get back to work at Whiteleaf
On a cold January morning, a group of volunteers gathered for the first Whiteleaf Hill work party of 2019. Around 20 volunteers turned up ready…
South Oxfordshire District Council employees lend a hand at Kingwood Common
On the morning of the 3rd December, employees from the South Oxfordshire District Council met at Kingwood Common, to join Chiltern Society staff and volunteers…
Scrub Clearance at Bottom Wood
Last week our rangers and volunteers spent a day clearing scrub from an area of Bottom Wood that will be replanted to create a new…
Annual visit to Studham Common
Earlier this month the Wendover Woods Volunteers made their annual visit to Studham Common in the North Chilterns. The Wendover team have been supporting the…
Working at Whiteleaf with BBOWT
On the 2nd October, our head of conservation Gavin and our ranger Fiona were joined by BBOWT at our Whiteleaf reserve to clear some areas…
Learning to scythe at Kingwood Common
The Kingwood Common Volunteers enjoyed a days scythe training this week with local scyther Clive Leeke. The team spent the day learning how to use…
Box Woodland Project at Wormsley Estate
This week, 30 of our volunteers returned to Wormsley Estate to help kick-start start the next phase of an exciting Box Woodland project that is…
Volunteers get to work at Lindengate
Last week a group of our volunteers spent the morning at Lidengate, helping to enhance the habitats in their wildlife area focussing on the boundary…
Kingwood Common Group Get To Work!
On 1st November, our brand new Kingwood Common Conservation Group officially launched with it’s first volunteering session. Twenty-five volunteers rolled up their sleeves to clear…
Kingwood Common – Get Involved!
Get hands on and help to protect your local landscape by volunteering with our brand new Kingwood Common Conservation Group. All are welcome to join…
Introducing the Kingwood Common Partnership
We are delighted to announce a new partnership with The Nettlebed and District Commons Conservators to care for Kingwood Common as a unique part of…
BT Volunteers at Whiteleaf Hill
Last week our regular Whiteleaf & Brush Hill Volunteer team were joined by five keen and hardworking corporate volunteers from BT. Lesley, Shanna, Aliya, Deborah…
Box Woodland Creation at the Wormsley Estate
Following the successful planting sessions last year on the Wormsley Estate, as part of their Box woodland creation scheme, we are continuing our support for…
Bring Back the Hazel Dormouse!
The hazel dormouse (or common dormouse) is in decline across the country, and sadly we have seen that populations have plummeted here in the Chilterns.…
Bird Box Installation in Chesham
We were delighted to team up with Impress the Chess to participate in National Bird Box Week. Local residents sponsored bird boxes along the River Chess, to…
Scrub Bash at Whiteleaf Hill
This week we hosted the Chiltern Conservation Board’s annual Scrub Bash at Whiteleaf Hill Nature Reserve. Over 80 volunteers turned out on a wonderful winter’s day to…
Woolly lawnmowers on the move
The flock of Herdwick sheep that had been grazing our Brush Hill site have now returned to Prestwood Local Nature Reserve to help us manage…
Restoring Whiteleaf Cross
Our volunteers have put in a huge amount of effort over the last month to give the Whiteleaf Cross a much needed make over.
Read more…Restoring Whiteleaf Cross
Sponsor a slice of nature…
Over the next twelve months, we’ll launching a number of special projects to help protect Chiltern woodlands. 21% of the Chilterns is covered in woodland,…
