Winter is a busy time for Dorset Wildlife Trust, especially for the wardens who oversee our 42 nature reserves across Dorset. They work closely with teams of staff, volunteers, and contractors to nurture and protect these wildlife havens.

This time of year is great for collaboration and volunteering through our winter workdays, which are organised by our wardens. Staff working in different teams across the Trust, or from other organisations in Dorset are invited to meet up and get stuck into physical work on the nature reserves, providing an opportunity to connect and exchange updates about their respective reserves and projects. The main tasks carried out over winter include management of invasive species such as silver birch, gorse, and pines that encroach onto the heaths. If these species weren’t managed, they would eventually dominate the habitat, and our vital heathlands would struggle to exist.

Other tasks include clearing vegetation around shaded ponds to increase light reaching the surface, building analogue beaver dams to help divert water on nature reserves, creating temporary wetlands, and planting trees to connect existing woodlands to create wildlife corridors. The colder months are the best time to do these jobs as the disturbance to wildlife is reduced. Insects, birds and mammals have enjoyed the autumn fruits and nuts, many species are still hibernating and for most the breeding season has not yet begun.

Many of these essential tasks have been happening on nature reserves thanks to funding from the Species Survival Fund, a key one being Brownsea Island, which has seen staff donning their waders to enter the lagoon and head over to the small islands which are the perfect place for Sandwich and common tern to nest. After their breeding season in summer, they migrate, giving wardens a window in which maintenance work can be done without disturbing the colonies. Tasks include removing certain plants, adding more surface gravel and maintaining the fences.

More traditional jobs are also taking place at this time of year, such as coppicing certain tree species like hazel. This provides suitable habitats for the protected and endangered hazel dormouse and our native bluebells. The cuttings never go to waste, depending on their thickness the coppiced trees can be used for creating boundaries by weaving them through posts, dead hedging, creating brash and habitat piles, bean poles, walking sticks, slow burning for charcoal, and stakes for hedge laying.

Winter is a vital season for preparing habitats to thrive in the year ahead, and the Trust’s efforts, supported by the Species Survival Fund, ensure these nature reserves remain havens for wildlife. From managing invasive species to enhancing wetlands, these seasonal tasks not only protect biodiversity but also promote collaboration among staff and volunteers.

Learn more about Dorset Wildlife Trust's conservation work here.