RSPB nature reserve celebrates 60th anniversary

Dartford warblers have seen their population soar at the reserve

A nature reserve that has played a vital role in supporting wildlife and helping it to thrive is celebrating its 60th anniversary.

RSPB Arne near Wareham in Dorset covers a diverse landscape the size of about 882 football pitches.

It is home to an array of species including lizards, insects and birds, and over the past six decades it has seen some animals make a staggering recovery, including Dartford warblers.

To mark the occasion, RSPB Arne is hosting the second Dorset Bird Festival on the 4 and 5 October.

The birdwatcher celebration will includes local food stalls, bird ringing demonstrations and talks from special guests.

When the charity took over management of the site in 1965, much of the landscape was covered in rhododendron, an invasive shrub detrimental to native heathland and woodland plants.

Dedicated volunteers cleared the area and allowed the heathland to recover.

The charity says this sort of landscape management has been repeated over the years and has allowed the site to thrive as it does now.

Lesley Gorman, RSPB Arne commercial operations manager, said: "The journey of RSPB Arne has been remarkable and shows us that if we work together, we really can make a tangible difference to the fate of nature.

"The combined efforts of hundreds of volunteers over the years, the skills and perseverance of RSPB staff, and our valued visitors who support us through membership and shop and café purchases, have all helped wildlife reclaim its rightful place here."