What's on this page

The potential activities below could be done by communities and individuals to help achieve Dorset’s nature recovery priorities. Select the titles to see what potential activities could help achieve each priority. 

  1. Priority 1 Grasslands
  2. Priority 2 Woodlands
  3. Priority 3 Heathlands
  4. Priority 4 Rivers, lakes and wetlands
  5. Priority 5 Coastal
  6. Priority 6 Urban
  7. Priority 7 Farming
  8. Priority 8 Natural processes
  9. Priority 9 Nature-based solutions
  10. Priority 10 Nature connection
  11. Priority 11 Species abundance and diversity

Priority 1 Grasslands

Potential activities for grasslands include:

  • create more species-rich grassland habitats
  • reduce the use of chemicals such as pesticides and fertilisers on farmland and gardens
  • encourage diverse sward heights on grassland, with some areas developing into longer tussocks, pockets of scrub and keeping some bare ground to increase diversity and help join up different habitats
  • make existing species-rich grassland bigger, expanding them to be big enough to protect from external pressures, enhance resilience and encourage natural processes
  • source local seeds or green hay from existing species-rich grassland (source/arc/donor sites) to restore meadows in other places in Dorset
  • enhance and create hedgerows alongside species-rich grassland to help transition between grassland and other habitat types
  • create or enhance wood pasture, parkland and/or orchards between species-rich grassland as important connecting habitat
  • when creating or enhancing grassland habitats, keep existing wet features like depressions or re-wet historically wet areas of the land

Priority 2 Woodlands

Potential activities for woodlands include:

  • enhance the structure and diversity of existing woodlands, by increasing the variety of ages of trees, canopy structure, and species. As well as retaining and creating open space and standing and fallen deadwood
  • establish new woodlands consistent with the UK Forest Standard, applying the ‘right tree, right place’ principle. Ideally create new woodland that buffers, expands and links existing woodlands, especially ancient woodlands
  • source and use a diverse range of bio-secure trees and plants for tree and woodland establishment projects. Use a broad and mixed palette suited to objectives. Consider the use of native, near native and non-native species to ensure resilience
  • set up or use a community tree nursery to supply, bio-secure, locally sourced and grown native trees for community tree planting projects
  • enhance and create hedgerows to ensure a diverse mix of tree and hedgerow plants and stagger the management cycle
  • maintain active management of coppice stands and woodlands, and restore lapsed coppice woodlands, bringing these into management, delivering environmental benefits, wood products and economic benefit
  • support the continuation of the hazel coppice industry and related rural industries such as hedge laying, to ensure associated woodland and hedgerow management continues

Priority 3 Heathlands

Potential activities for heathlands include:

  • reduce the risk of fires to protect precious heathland habitats and prevent wildfire spreading to nearby homes and communities. For example, raising awareness that it’s illegal to barbecue on heathlands or sharing practical advice for people to protect their homes from wildfire
  • reduce pressures from recreational disturbance on heathlands. For example, providing suitable alternative natural greenspaces (SANGs) and raising awareness of ways people can enjoy heathlands responsibly by continuing the work of Dorset Heaths Partnership

Priority 4 Rivers, lakes and wetlands

Potential activities for rivers, lakes and wetlands include:

  • create buffers of different plants, trees and woodlands along the river corridor (riparian planting or water body buffering) to create a diverse structure of shady areas to keep rivers cool and warmer open areas for fish spawning
  • reduce the use of chemicals in farming, gardening and veterinary medicines. This includes pesticides used to treat external parasites on domestic pets (as these often end up contaminating water bodies)
  • use permeable materials if creating hard surfaces in urban areas, such as driveways, to direct rainwater into soakaways and back into the ground rather than the wastewater system. Avoid sealed surfaces like concrete and artificial grass that water runs over quickly and into drains
  • reduce the risk of prescription medication reaching and polluting waterways, by taking medications according to prescription and using pharmacies to dispose of any medications that are no longer required
  • improve maintenance of septic tanks and sewage treatment works to reduce pollution reaching waterbodies
  • consider the role of beavers in maintaining and creating wetlands, follow all licencing procedures for beaver releases and plan the management of potential impacts on infrastructure, livelihoods and buildings
  • support communities where free-living beavers are present through the Dorset Beaver Management Group by providing advice on management requirements in response to beaver activity

Priority 5 Coastal

Potential activities for coastal include:

  • reduce pressures from recreational disturbance, for example, helping water sport users understand how to enjoy the coast without disrupting sensitive habitats and species
  • pull back from intensive farming in fields close to cliff edges, to create space for cliff top habitats and wildlife to survive and move as the coastline recedes through cliff falls and landslips

Priority 6 Urban

Potential activities for urban include:

  • use wildlife-friendly gardening practices in homes, businesses, community growing projects, churchyards and similar spaces
  • increase other kinds of urban greening such as living walls and green roofs, on both existing and new buildings, or other infrastructure such as bus shelters
  • create more nature-rich spaces on golf courses, or consider changing land-use where these facilities are underused or provided for people to enjoy elsewhere
  • sustainably manage existing trees in towns and villages, replacing these where they are removed or lost due to age or disease
  • increase tree canopy cover by establishing and maintaining more trees in gardens, parks, and along streets, focusing on areas that have the lowest tree equity scores. For Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, follow the guiding principles outlined in BCP Urban Forest Strategy
  • maintain and establish new fruit trees and orchards within public spaces. And establish related community groups and ways for people to use the fruit and care for the trees
  • create dead wood habitats such as standing dead wood, log piles and dead hedges to provide homes for wildlife, using locally sourced material
  • explore the suitability of newer methods of creating woodland. For example, the Miyawaki method involves planting a large number of seedlings at once, to replicate natural regeneration as the fastest growing saplings will thin out the rest
  • increase the use of hedges, rather than just fences and walls, around homes, gardens, and public open spaces
  • explore opportunities to convert underused streets or neglected areas into small ‘pocket parks’
  • use permeable materials if creating hard surfaces in urban areas, such as driveways, to direct rainwater into soakaways that flow back down into the ground instead of the wastewater system and therefore reduce flood risk. Limit use of sealed surfaces like concrete and artificial grass that water runs over quickly, flowing into drains and the wastewater system
  • use water butts to catch rainwater and use this to water plants during drier months. This water is good for the garden as it’s rich in nutrients and helps conserve drinking water
  • increase natural darkness by using timers and movement sensors on household and street lighting, to reduce light pollution that disturbs the natural rhythms of wildlife, for example, bats, birds, insects. Choose lights that are not too bright and warmer shades, then position the lights as low as possible and pointing downwards rather than into the sky
  • include species enhancements in the design of new buildings and developments. For example, bird and bat boxes/bricks, bee bricks, hedgehog highways
  • consider and mitigate impacts on bats and birds before starting any renovation or repair works on buildings or structures, so that species can continue using the site once the works are complete
  • support initiatives for communities to take care of nature spaces near to homes and community buildings

Priority 7 Farming

Potential activities for farming include:

  • work with neighbouring farms and other partners to coordinate nature recovery activities across the landscape and share equipment and knowledge. For example, by joining a farmer cluster or landscape scale recovery project
  • support initiatives that improve marketing of local sustainable produced food, and help connect farmers and consumers
  • support farmers and land managers to work together to enable efficient woodland management, sale of timber wood products and best practice on management and biosecurity

Priority 8 Natural processes

There aren't any specific activities listed against this priority for communities and individuals. You can look at other sectors for activities that you could deliver or you may be able to apply elements of this approach within smaller scale projects.

Priority 9 Nature-based solutions

Potential activities for nature-based solutions include:

  • establish and maintain more native trees in towns and villages to improve air quality, provide shade from extreme heat, increase carbon storage, improve water quality and provide natural flood management. Increase tree canopy cover in all urban areas, especially areas that have the lowest tree equity scores
  • use permeable materials if creating hard surfaces in urban areas, such as driveways, and limit use of sealed surfaces like concreate and artificial grass that water quickly runs over into drains. By redirecting water into natural soakaways, rather than the wastewater system, can help reduce flood risk and reduce the number of storm overflow discharges
  • enhance and create habitats to help mitigate climate change, natural habitats capture and store carbon. Peatland, broadleaved woodland and saltmarsh are examples of habitats that tend to be larger carbon stores, but many other habitat types provide some carbon storage, and a variety of habitats is needed for a functioning ecosystem
  • enhance and create hedgerows that slow the flow of water across the landscape, which helps reduce flood risk and improve water quality by reducing the amount of sediment and pollution in rivers. Hedges are also a carbon store, as well as providing wildlife habitats and corridors
  • create buffer strips near waterbodies on farms to reduce sediment and chemicals entering water
  • use sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) in towns and villages, such as rain gardens, water butts, swales, street trees and ponds to slow and clean water, and provide wetland or boggy habitat. This can help reduce flood risk and reduced the number of storm overflow discharges
  • embed the importance of nature recovery across all organisations so that senior decision-makers champion nature and consider nature-based solutions as part of decision making

Priority 10 Nature connection

Potential activities for nature connection include:

  • showcase and champion the huge range of activities already happening for nature recovery in Dorset, and celebrate the people involved to help inspire others
  • continue and grow Dorset’s strong history of partnership working. For example, farm clusters, catchment based approach, and landscape recovery projects. Use this strategy as a tool to help target collaborative efforts, working together across sectors by listening without judgement, sharing knowledge and pooling resources
  • work with architects, builders and roofers to raise awareness of potential impacts of development on wildlife and the benefits of seeking ecological advice early in the design process
  • collaborate with recording groups and citizen scientists to explore how they can help measure progress and promote opportunities for more people to get involved, from annual wildlife count days to regular wildlife monitoring groups
  • share information on what people can do to help wildlife at home. For example, Dorset Wildlife Trust’s wildlife-friendly spaces award, BCP Council’s Nature Pledge
  • support communities to understand and celebrate any changes happening through habitat restoration. For example, information signs on footpaths and near projects, or volunteer days
  • raise awareness of ways people can enjoy nature, while minimising pressures this can put on wildlife. For example, Dorset Dogs
  • continue and expand the variety of nature-related activities in communities across Dorset, giving more time for people to connect with nature or get involved in nature conservation. For example, community gardening, pond-dipping experiences, natural arts and crafts, mindfulness sessions, outdoor physical activities
  • include sustainable farming, sustainable forestry and land management and conservation courses in local college curriculum 
  • make more space for nature nearby people’s homes, especially in areas where it is estimate 30% or less of the population live within a 300m walk of nature

Priority 11 Species abundance and diversity

Potential activities for species abundance and diversity include:

  • create a network of naturally functioning diverse habitats across the county, supported by more nature-friendly land management practices across all the surrounding areas by delivering the activities listed under all the other priorities in this strategy
  • make simple changes across Dorset to help increase species abundance, such as herbal leys and diverse seed mixes on farms, encouraging natural regeneration of woodlands, and leaving wilder areas in parks and open spaces
  • use wildlife-friendly gardening practices. For example, peat-free compost, hedgehog house, not using chemicals or slug pellets
  • use local and native species when creating new spaces for nature as part of building development, but also consider new species where these provide a similar ecological function and are suited to the built environment
  • undertake targeted and sustained control of non-native and invasive plants and animals, for example, rhododendron, Himalayan balsam, snowberry, sour fig, cotoneaster, Japanese rose, giant hogweed and mink
  • coordinate landscape sale management of sustainable deer populations to improve the ecological condition of semi-natural habits, supporting the natural regeneration of trees, woody shrubs and ground flora, and to protect agricultural crops. Control muntjac deer, as a non-native invasive species. Within both Wareham and Purbeck focus management actions upon sika deer populations
  • coordinate shared approach to respond to ash dieback across land ownership boundaries
  • if plants or trees are lost to disease, re-plant with more resistant species but make sure these perform similar ecological functions and are native if possible
  • explore options for landscape scale management of grey squirrel populations and deliver this to improve ecological condition of woodlands and reduce pressures on other animals, such as mammals and birds. Include an evaluation of the feasibility for pine marten reintroduction
  • use native plant and tree species to support the local food web and wildlife, but also support the use of new species and varieties where these enhance ecological function and resilience to pests, diseases, climate change and extreme weather
  • increase connectivity between habitats to enable species to move in response to new climate pressures

Back to the top