The Yew Tree Project - Newlands Corner, Merrow Downs, Surrey

Treecosystems played a key role in initiating, designing and participating in the execution of a project to manage visitor pressure and the resulting soil compaction damage around the key ancient yew tree population at Newlands Corner. The project was a collaboration between Treecosystems, the Albury Estate [the landowner], the Surrey Hills AONB and Surrey County Council, with several other project partners including Natural England, The Tree Council, the Ancient Yew Group, Guildford Borough Council, Surrey Choices, The Surrey Coalition of Disabled People and the Forest Bathing Institute.

The project involved installing measures such as ‘dead hedging’ and educational interpretation designed to encourage people to stick to the main paths, as well as a boardwalk providing sustainable access to three of the oldest yew trees at the site. The project has been generally very well received locally, and so far early indications are that the measures put in place appear to be working well. We will continue to monitor the success of the scheme in improving tree and soil health through soil testing and site and tree observations.