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News

POOLE’S HEATHLAND SECURED FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS

The Borough of Poole has completed the purchase of 273 hectares of internationally important Heathland on North Canford with the help of Heritage Lottery Funding.

Using £420,000 of Heritage Lottery Funding, the Borough of Poole has been working with Dorset Wildlife Trust, RSPB, English Nature, the Countryside Commission and other conservation bodies since 1998 to purchase the Heathland from W H White.

Designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 1995, the Heath has been recognised in Europe and across the world as a rare habitat which supports species such as Sand Lizard, Smooth Snake, Dartford Warbler, Nightjar and Hobby. Totalling 334 hectares, the Borough of Poole now owns one of the largest areas of Heathland habitat in Dorset.

Cllr Andrew Muspratt, Chairman of the Culture and Leisure Committee and Ward Councillor for Canford Heath, said : "The Heath is of major importance both here in Poole and around the world. We are extremely lucky to have an area so rich in wildlife on our door step which everyone can learn about and enjoy. The Council’s highly successful Heath management together with the knowledge and skills of local people such as the Heathwatch Volunteers will mean that the site will be preserved for the benefit of future generations".

Conservation work carried out by W H White during the last few years includes the reintroduction of cattle grazing which helps to remove small trees and grasses that would otherwise replace the Heathland’s distinctive heathers.

The Borough of Poole’s Countryside Management Team, one of the few authorities to receive an award for the quality of their Heathland Management from English Nature, will now manage the site with financial and practical support from local conservation organisations.

Nick Squirrell, English Nature Conservation Officer, said: "The purchase of Canford Heath is excellent news for both the people of the Borough and the Heathland wildlife. For some time the Heath has been managed by W H Whites who worked with English Nature to introduce an ambitious grazing scheme four years ago. The scheme has been a superb example of how Heathland and wildlife can be cared for in a difficult urban setting. We are now looking forward to building on this work with a new management programme designed by the dedicated Countryside staff in Poole which will secure the future of the Heathland wildlife living on the edge of south Canford".

-ends-

Editor’s Notes:
In addition to being a SSSI several special designations apply to the Borough’s Heathland which provide additional protection for the site. The designations place restrictions on future development and ensure the land owner manages the area properly for its wildlife:

Special Protection Area (SPA): given to an area due to its important bird life and habitat.
Ramsar Site: given to areas important for wildfowl and wetlands - applies to a section of the Heath.

John Milton, Head of Property Services, Borough of Poole, tel: (01202) 633064