The Heathland Code

Take care when you visit a heath... here is our suggested code:

Heathland pathways

• Follow the public paths to protect all our heathland wildlife and grazing animals.

Care of your heath

• Please take your litter home with you.
• Dumping of rubbish and fly tipping are criminal offences.
• Den building is a problem for heathlands ­ please ensure you leave areas as you found them.

Grazing animals on the heath

• Ensure all gates are closed behind you.

Use of the heath

• Bicycles are allowed on certain paths on heathlands; look out for maps and signs.
• Creating ramps can be harmful to the heathland wildlife.
• It is illegal to use motorised vehicles on the heaths, and they may be confiscated if found on our heaths.

If you need to report a vehicle illegally using the heaths, please phone 01202 222 222

You and your dog

• Between February and August, please keep your dog on a short lead, to protect ground nesting birds and other wildlife.
• Clean up after your dog to avoid changing the soil nutrients encourage non-heathland grasses and exclude rarer heathland plants.

Fires can be fatal to heathland wildlife and cause problems for people who use our heaths.
Arson is a criminal offence.

• Heathlands can be very dangerous. Fires can move very quickly and can change direction in an instant.
• Fires can be caused in many ways; discarded cigarettes and matches may cause severe damage to heathlands.
• Fires are banned from all heathlands; this includes gas stoves and barbeques.
• Controlled, small-scale burning may take place on heathlands between October & February as a way of managing our heathland habitat.

If you'd like to visit a Dorset heath here are a couple of ideas:

• Upton Heath - near to Poole
• Higher Hyde Heath - between Bovington and Wareham