Rivers and lakes are naturally functioning, and wetland habitats are better, bigger, and connected to support wildlife and provide clean water and flood protection.
Dorset has rivers, streams, lakes and ponds, as well as wetland habitats including bog, fen, swamp, flush and inundation. Restoration and protection of chalk streams is particularly important as Dorset has a special responsibility for these globally rare habitats. Another important focus is the protection and enhancement of freshwater biodiversity in the Dorset and New Forest Important Freshwater Landscape.
Freshwater habitats need to be enhanced, maintained and restored/re-created where they’ve been lost or disconnected from each other. This doesn’t just include the river corridor, but covers the whole water catchment, from individual sections of rivers and lakes to the plants in the riparian corridors, to surrounding wetland habitats.
Water needs to be clean to provide a healthy home to wildlife, and for humans to use for recreation and for water supplies to drink and wash in. Clean doesn’t just mean the water looks clear, it’s about having appropriate nutrient levels and reducing pollution. Rivers must also be cool enough to function well, especially as climate change brings warmer temperatures.
Improvements to rivers, lakes and wetlands can help slow the flow of water across the landscape and provide natural flood management. Natural storage of water in the land will also help create a more sustainable supply of water. This is especially important as climate change will increase the risk of flood and drought.
Freshwater habitats need to be enhanced, maintained and restored/re-created where they’ve been lost or disconnected from each other. This doesn’t just include the river corridor, but covers the whole water catchment, from individual sections of rivers and lakes to the plants in the riparian corridors, to surrounding wetland habitats.
Water needs to be clean to provide a healthy home to wildlife, and for humans to use for recreation and for water supplies to drink and wash in. Clean doesn’t just mean the water looks clear, it’s about having appropriate nutrient levels and reducing pollution. Rivers must also be cool enough to function well, especially as climate change brings warmer temperatures.
Improvements to rivers, lakes and wetlands can help slow the flow of water across the landscape and provide natural flood management. Natural storage of water in the land will also help create a more sustainable supply of water. This is especially important as climate change will increase the risk of flood and drought.
Nature recovery in action
Healthy peatlands support fantastically diverse and highly specialised wildlife. However, Dorset’s peatlands are fragmented and in poor condition due to historic management. The Dorset Peat Partnership, part of Dorset Catchment Partnerships, is led by Dorset Wildlife Trust and includes 6 other landowning partners. Funding for the partnership comes from Defra’s Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme, the Wytch Farm Landscape Access and Enhancement Fund and others. The partnership is restoring 17 peatland sites across Dorset Heaths Special Area of Conservation over 3 years by:- removing some trees where they are drying out peat through transpiration and breaking up peat structure with their roots
- blocking historic drains to rewet peat and stop its degradation
- flailing scrub and tussocky grasses to create conditions for peat-forming sphagnum mosses
Potential activities
See what activities people can carry out to help achieve this priority. These activities are a guide and are not exhaustive, as there are many small activities involved in habitat management and restoring ecosystems.The activities and Dorset’s nature recovery maps provide a starting point, but additional land management and ecological advice will often be needed to support activities on individual sites.