Dorset Wildlife Trust
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Dorset Wildlife Trust (DWT) is a wildlife trust covering the county of Dorset, England. The Dorset Wildlife Trust was founded in 1961 to protect the wildlife and natural habitats of the county. The trust is based at Brooklands Farm, just north of Dorchester. DWT has 23,000 members, including 38 full time staff, and runs 35 nature reserves (12.5 km² total) which include 23 sites of special scientific interest.
The Trust manages forty nature reserves, most owned by the trust. Some are also leased under agreements with landowners. The reserves represent 1,250 hectares of prime habitat managed for the benefit of wildlife. According to the Trust, more than 200,000 visitors visit their reserves each year. The Trust also has 5 wildlife education centres around the county (Purbeck Marine Wildlife Reserve, Kingcombe Meadows, Lorton Meadows, Brownsea Island and Brooklands Farm).
The conservation work of the Dorset Wildlife Trust extends beyond the designated Nature Reserves. DWT also runs a series of special projects headed by conservation staff working with groups of volunteer members throughout the county. They are involved in monitoring and improving habitats for wildlife not only in the open countryside, rivers and coastal waters but also in urban environments, churchyards and roadside verges.
