Buglife Launches Chalk Lines Project to Restore Surrey Grasslands

Efforts to restore chalk grassland habitats in the Surrey Hills are underway through Buglife’s Chalk Lines project, which focuses on supporting rare invertebrates and increasing community involvement in conservation activities.

The Chalk Lines initiative will run from April 2026 to June 2028, with activities planned in Guildford, Dorking, Leatherhead, Reigate, care homes, and HMP Send. The project is designed to reconnect fragmented habitats and improve conditions for wildlife in the region.

Funding for Chalk Lines comes from multiple sources, including the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Surrey Wildlife Trust, and Milkywire. The National Lottery Heritage Fund has contributed nearly £300,000 to support the project’s aims.

Seven rare and threatened invertebrate species are the focus of the restoration work. These include the Straw Belle moth, Hazel Pot-beetle, Adonis Blue butterfly, Large Scabious Mining Bee, Armed Nomad Bee, Red-tailed Mason Bee, and Shining Pot-beetle.

What the numbers show

• Chalk Lines will restore and reconnect more than 30 hectares of habitat
• Buglife’s earlier Space4Nature project restored over 62 hectares across 22 sites
• The Chalk Lines project runs from April 2026 to June 2028
• Horticultural students at HMP Send will grow up to 600 native wildflowers
• Buglife will advise on planting schemes for 4.5 acres of prison gardens

Chalk Lines builds on the outcomes of Buglife’s previous Space4Nature project, which delivered more than 62 hectares of habitat creation or restoration at 22 locations in Surrey. This earlier project laid the groundwork for expanded conservation efforts in the region.

As part of the Chalk Lines activities, volunteers will take part in insect identification workshops, wildflower seeding, habitat management, and creative workshops. These activities are intended to involve local communities and support the project’s restoration goals.

Horticultural students at HMP Send are set to grow up to 600 native wildflowers for use in the project. Buglife will also provide guidance on invertebrate-friendly planting for 4.5 acres of the prison’s gardens, integrating conservation with educational opportunities.

Chalk Lines is part of Buglife’s broader B-Lines initiative, which seeks to create connected corridors of wildflower-rich habitat across the UK. The project will contribute to the national B-Lines network, aiming to help pollinators and other wildlife move safely through the countryside.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.