Wareham Forest
Wareham Forest is managed by Forestry England and is managed for timber, conservation and recreation. The 1500 Hectare area is situated between Dorchester and Poole and has a variety of landscapes including heathland and plantations of conifers.
The forest is one of the only places in the UK where all six species of British reptile live. It also contains 9 Scheduled Ancient Monuments, and a third of the area is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, known for ladybird spiders and ground nesting birds.
There are multiple trails to walk and lots of wildlife can be seen. A huge fire in May 2020 destroyed an area of over 220 Hectares despite the best efforts of the Fire Service from Dorset and the surrounding counties. Forestry England is working to help the forest recover by replanting trees and encouraging wildlife to return through restoring habitats.
You can read more about Wareham Forest on the Forestry England webpage.
Images by:
Wareham Forest by Becca