Purbeck Heaths becomes UK's first 'Super National Nature Reserve'
It follows years of work to improve and protect habitats
Dorset's Purbeck Heaths has today (Friday 26th May) been named as the UK's first 'Super National Nature Reserve'.
It covers 3,400 hectares of priority habitat, with plans to create a 1,370 hectare 'open savannah' for free-ranging, grazing animals to roam.
The Purbeck Heaths super reserve has been put together due to its rich range of landscapes, including wet and dry heath, valley mires, acid grassland and woodland, coastal sand dunes, lakes and saltmarsh.
It's described as one of the most biodiverse places in the UK.
David Brown, National Trust lead ecologist for Purbeck said:
“Over large swathes of open grassland and heath, these domestic grazers are now mimicking their wild ancestors, who would have shaped habitats in the past.
“We can’t bring back aurochs, the native ancestors of our domestic cattle, but we can use our 200 Red Devon cattle to graze and behave in equivalent ways. Similarly, Exmoor ponies mimic the actions of now-extinct tarpan horses, and the quirky, curly coated Mangalitsa pigs are rooting around like wild boars.
“We’re also discovering that by letting them get on with their own thing as much as possible, our grazing animals explore new habitats and discover different types of vegetation to eat – all of which help create a more dynamic and complex ecosystem.”
In a natural environment, large herbivores also play a crucial role in helping plants and less mobile insect species move around the landscape – on their fur, hooves and even in their dung.
By giving cattle, ponies and pigs this huge landscape to wander around, they are helping rare and threatened species such as Purbeck mason wasps, and heath bee-flies disperse and build stronger populations.
David continued:
“Grazing in their own individual ways, these animals are slowly forming diverse, wildlife friendly habitats. Cattle are untidy eaters, leaving messy tussocks perfect for insects; pigs turn over the soil and help sand lizards burrow; and ponies nibble tightly down to the ground creating grassland lawns full of specialist flowers such as storksbill and waxcap fungi.
“These grasslands can be really important for pollinating insects too, including rare mining bees. It’s the perfect mix of habitats in which biodiversity can thrive, and a great landscape for people to also roam freely.”
Tom Munro, Dorset AONB Manager said:
“As well as making the landscape richer for nature, some of these grazing animals will provide good quality food and support the local economy through ecotourism, such as camping and safaris.
“The Purbeck Heaths partners have also brought together local businesses, community groups, parish councils and schools to create a sustainable tourism plan – to manage the impact of visitors on nature and also increase the value of the landscape to local people and the economy.”
The Super National Nature Reserve will also be the base for the BBC’s forthcoming series of Springwatch with the first live show on Monday (29th May).