The Dorset reserves team has been involved in a number of projects over the last few weeks. One of our main focuses has been at our Lodmoor reserve in Weymouth where we having been battling through a tangle of scrub to make way for a new fence line. We need this fence as we are planning on grazing part of the reserve to control the level of scrub in the area and hopefully create a better habitat for a diversity of species. We have had the help of many volunteers on this project and we could not have made so much progress without them.
At Arne this week we have been planting trees with the help of some Animal Behaviour and Welfare students and their lecturer from Kingston Maurward College, to mark out a new trail area that we hope to open in the future. Advance planning is always key in creating these areas as we want to ensure our visitors have a great experience whilst making sure that the needs of our wildlife are met. Some of the species we were planting include Rowan, Hazel, Blackthorn, and Wild Cherry these will be a great habitat and food source for many species.
Another project that has been on the go is habitat creation for the Purbeck Mason Wasp. This rare wasp feeds on Bell Heather nectar and needs areas of bare ground to build its nest in. We had some more willing volunteers at our Dorset heathlands helping to give them some much needed habitat.
Our volunteers are vital to our work and we always welcome new helpers, if you would like to be involved and come along and help us then contact us on dorset.volunteering@rspb.org.uk or visit the RSPB website www.rspb.org.uk/joinandhelp/volunteering/ then click game for anything and select Dorset to find volunteering opportunities.