Dorset Wildlife Trust is appealing for urgent help to protect ancient landscape in Powerstock, west Dorset.  Five blocks of land, comprising 23 acres of old pasture, woodland and orchards, are to be sold at auction this month.  Situated around two steep valleys, the land includes streams, unimproved grassland, woodland, old hedges and features such as lynchets and river cliffs.

This is an exceptionally beautiful area with lots of different habitats rich in wildlife.  This part of Powerstock typifies the unique character of the landscape of the Bridport vales and we have a very rare opportunity here to stop these highly diverse fragments from being lost forever.

Three of the lots are old orchards, which are seriously under threat in the county. Traditional orchards have recently been listed as a priority habitat for conservation action under the government’s UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP).   However, this land has no current protection and could be lost to development, agricultural improvement or inappropriate grazing.

We hope that the people of west Dorset and beyond will help us to raise the funds to buy as much of this land as we can, so that we can all continue to enjoy the beauty of this special part of our county.

Alastair Cook
Head of Fundraising & Marketing
Dorset Wildlife Trust

Thanks for visiting this fundraising page.

Please note that if we are unsuccessful at acquiring this land at auction, we will use the funds raised for future land purchase projects.

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