Environment & Climate Community & Social Justice 2025
Dorset Wildlife Trust

Dorset Wildlife Trust Annual Review 2024–2025

Dorset Wildlife Trust is Dorset's leading nature conservation charity with 26,928 members and 700 volunteers. In 2024/25 it restored 163 hectares of peatland across 15 sites, recovered 10 priority species through the Species Survival Fund, reintroduced sand lizards and marsh clubmoss, harvested and sowed 150kg of wildflower seed across 26 new meadows, and welcomed over 96,000 visitors to its four visitor centres. The Fine Foundation Lookout opened on Brownsea Island, Lyscombe Nature Reserve progressed towards National Nature Reserve status, and the enclosed Beaver Project attracted 3,500+ people to 226 engagement events. 97% of past conservation trainees secured employment in the sector. 21,461 volunteer hours were contributed across all programmes.

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📋About

Species Survival Fund (habitat restoration, 10 priority species, 500ha across 18 reserves — smooth snake, sand lizard, ladybird spider, great crested newt, lapwing, dingy mocha moth, greater horseshoe bat, fly orchid, marsh clubmoss, heath tiger beetle); Dorset Peat Partnership (163ha peatland restored, 15 sites, 6,920m drainage ditches infilled); Wild Rivers Project (165ha river habitat, 135km monitored by Water Guardians, 1,864 people engaged); Enclosed Beaver Project (226 events, 3,500 people, water surface tripled, peak flows reduced 24%); Lyscombe Nature Reserve transformation (National Nature Reserve ambition by 2030); West Dorset Meadow-Making; Brownsea Island access improvements (Fine Foundation Lookout, new boardwalks, oak ramps for wheelchair users); 4 Visitor Centres with education, snorkel trail, Fleet Explorer boat; South Western Railway community gardens partnership; Conservation Traineeship Programme (7 funded positions); Wilder Communities outreach; Wildlife-friendly Space Award scheme; annual photo competition Custom geography from upload: Dorset, UK (county-wide)

📊Key Metrics

26,928 members; 700 volunteers; 21,461 total volunteer hours; 2,862 volunteer days; 96,000+ visitors across 4 visitor centres (Wild Chesil 40,690; Wild Seas Kimmeridge 48,387; Kingcombe 6,286; Brownsea 31,370 in managed area) Key Metric 1
163 hectares and 15 peatland sites restored; 500 hectares of land impacted through Species Survival Fund across 18 nature reserves; 165 hectares of river habitat improved; 75 juvenile sand lizards reintroduced; 5 new ponds and 17 restored Key Metric 2
10 priority species recovered through Species Recovery Programme; 1,000 trees planted; 150kg of wildflower seed harvested and sown across 26 new meadows; 97% of past conservation trainees secured employment in sector; 7 traineeships funded in 2024/25 Key Metric 3

✅Key Outcomes

  • 26 new meadows created across 35 landowner sites; 97% of conservation trainees secured employment; Brownsea Island welcomed 31,370 people to managed area; Sopley Common dry scrapes yielded 77 heath tiger beetles including one in a brand new scrape
  • Fine Foundation Lookout opened February 2025 — new accessibility benchmark for Brownsea Island; Lyscombe wild release feasibility study for beavers submitted to Natural England; marsh fritillaries recolonised Powerstock Common (10 larval webs found); first ever hazel dormouse record at Sovell Down
  • 1,464 photo competition entries; 409,750 Species of the Month reports submitted by members; 399 young people in educational sessions; 177 on courses; 665 sailed on Fleet Explorer; 1,196 attended events; 199 dams installed across peatland sites

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