National Trust launches appeal to buy land around iconic Dorset landmark
The National Trust is looking to raise £330,000 to buy land surrounding the Cerne Abbas Giant
A major fundraising appeal has been launched to protect the landscape around one of the UKs most recognisable landmarks, the Cerne Abbas Giant.
The National Trust is looking to raise £330,000 to help purchase and care for 138 hectares of land surrounding the ancient chalk figure in Dorset.
The charity has already secured more than £2m towards buying the land, known as the Giant’s Lair, which includes Giant Hill and supports a remarkable diversity of wildlife.
The site, designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest, is home to 36 butterfly species and contains some of the nation’s most ecologically valuable chalk grassland.
The trust says acquiring the land would allow it to restore degraded habitats, expand chalk grassland, plant new woodland and create a variety of habitats for under threat species and help wildlife adapt to the changing climate.
“This is an exciting and unique opportunity to give nature a huge boost in Dorset,” said Hannah Jefferson, the National Trust’s general manager for West Dorset & Cranborne Chase.
She added: “The land we’re acquiring is home to everything from our huge 55-metre Anglo-Saxon chalk figure to a small butterfly with a three-centimetre wingspan.
“By protecting the area around the giant, we can restore a fully functioning ecosystem that allows wildlife to thrive.”
The landscape is not only ecologically important but holds thousands of years of human history.
Recent research suggests the giant itself dates back to the early medieval period, while evidence of activity in the surrounding area stretches as far back as 4300BC.
The trust has cared for the giant since 1920, stabilising its chalk outlines and managing erosion from visitors drawn to the mysterious figure.
Butterfly Conservation welcomed the appeal, with local officer Jenny Plackett praising the “vital opportunity” to secure long-term habitat for rare species.
The campaign has also won high-profile backing from Sir Stephen Fry and Good Morning Britain presenter Sean Fletcher.
“This is a very rare opportunity to protect a huge swathe of beautiful and biodiverse countryside,” said Sir Fry. “Please join me in supporting this appeal.”