Nature reserve wetlands restored to help wildlife

Lapwings are among the species to benefit from previous work at Wild Woodbury

Work has begun to rewet areas of peat habitat on a nature reserve to improve water quality and support a wider diversity of wildlife.

Dorset Wildlife Trust is carrying out the work at Tadnoll and Winfrith Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), which had historically been drained for agriculture.

The project builds on work at Wild Woodbury in Bere Regis and the restoration of the River Sherford headwaters.

The Wild Woodbury project has already helped support populations of lapwings, snipe, frogs, dragonflies and freshwater invertebrates.

The trust is working to restore the natural flow of water at Tadnoll by infilling drainage ditches with spoil from the ditch banks and clearing trees and scrub to help retain water.

A similar project on the River Sherford has benefited a range of species

Peat areas, in particular, need to be kept waterlogged to help the growth of sphagnum moss.

Grants from the Species Survival Fund and the Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme have allowed work to begin and the trust has launched an appeal to help fund the remainder of the project.

Head of wilder landscapes Rob Farrington said: "Wild Woodbury demonstrated how effective wetland restoration can be for water quality and wildlife.

"At Tadnoll Heath, Dorset Wildlife Trust will build on that success to create more habitats, strengthen ecosystems, and ensure Dorset's rivers and wetlands thrive for generations to come.

"Public support is essential to make this possible."