Lead organisation
Partner organisations
Delivered as part of Surrey Wildlife Trust’s wider conservation grazing network across Surrey.
Project description
At Elm Farm, we’re strengthening the foundations of chalk grassland recovery across Surrey. This project will fund a twin rotary rake — a vital piece of equipment that supports both haymaking and conservation grazing across 78 hectares of grassland, including 26 hectares of species-rich chalk grassland.
This isn’t just about machinery — it’s about making restoration work. The rake allows us to cut and gather hay from the farm, providing winter feed for grazing cattle and reducing reliance on external inputs. At the same time, removing cuttings from the land helps lower nutrient levels, control invasive species, and create the right conditions for wildflowers and invertebrates to return.
By supporting the day-to-day running of the grazing herd, this project enables ongoing, practical habitat management — the kind that quietly underpins nature recovery across multiple sites.
Project location
Elm Farm sits within the Surrey chalk landscape, on Old Farleigh Road near Farleigh. It plays a key role in connecting habitats, acting as a stepping stone between Surrey Wildlife Trust reserves and neighbouring sites, including Farleigh Golf Club.
Identified through the Surrey Local Nature Recovery Strategy as an area with strong potential for biodiversity, the farm helps link green corridors stretching from northern Surrey towards London. Strengthening management here strengthens the wider network.
Fit with the Big Chalk Programme
This project supports the Big Chalk Programme by investing in the practical tools needed to restore and maintain chalk grassland at scale.
By enabling effective conservation grazing and habitat management, it contributes to a more connected landscape — supporting pollinators, wildflowers, and other chalk grassland species to move and recover across Surrey. It’s a clear example of how targeted, on-the-ground investment can unlock wider nature recovery.
Wider social and environmental considerations
The impact of this project goes beyond Elm Farm. By improving the sustainability of the grazing operation — reducing feed costs and supporting efficient land management — it helps secure the long-term future of conservation grazing across Surrey.
Healthier grasslands mean more for people too: richer landscapes, more wildlife, and stronger connections to nature on the doorstep of urban communities.
This is about making nature recovery practical, resilient, and lasting — built on the tools, partnerships, and shared commitment needed to restore our chalk landscapes together.
The Big Chalk programme and Nature Recovery Fund is funded through the Protected Landscapes Partnership, supported by Defra.
Group of Belted Galloway cattle grazing
Eurasian skylark perching in a grassy field
Do you have a project that could strengthen the future of southern England’s iconic chalk and limestone landscapes?
The Big Chalk programme brings together a dynamic suite of partner-led projects, each unique in its focus, area, and partnerships but sharing a commitment to our collective vision.
If your project contributes to the Big Chalk mission, we invite you to register it as a Big Chalk Project. Registered projects gain access to networking, shared learning, and best practice—alongside the Big Chalk brand, boosting your profile and connecting you to a powerful, growing network of partners.
Together, these projects form a united effort to secure the future of southern England’s chalk and limestone landscapes, making a lasting impact for nature and communities.