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A new book published this month reveals the exceptional natural heritage of Dorset and the fascinating story of its survival. Dorset A Naturalist’s County, written by two leading conservationists to mark the 50th Anniversary of the founding of Dorset Wildlife Trust in 1961, celebrates the county with the greatest biodiversity for its size in Britain.
More about the book...
Nigel Webb is a leading ecologist and Chairman of the Trust, whilst Tony Bates is its President and a distinguished photographer. Between them they tell the tale of a county with an exceptionally rich flora and fauna that has attracted naturalists for over two centuries. The story is full of discoveries, setbacks and successes, featuring characters such as James Dale, who first named the Lulworth Skipper butterfly, and Octavius Pickard-Cambridge, rector of Bloxworth, friend of Darwin and the world's foremost authority on spiders. Despite their pioneering work, by the 1950s Dorset's wildlife was under threat. The increased use of pesticides and herbicides, the expansion of Bournemouth and Poole, the planting of conifers and ploughing up of heathland had all taken their toll. It was against this backdrop that what is now the Dorset Wildlife Trust was formed under the chairmanship of the botanist Ronald Good, with the formidable Helen Brotherton as its secretary.
Quotes from the authors
Nigel Webb said: “Dorset is one of the richest places in Britain for wildlife. It can rightly claim to be a 'Biodiversity Hotspot' which in addition has played a leading role in the development of nature conservation in Britain."
Tony Bates, who took the stunning images for the book, said: “Since I first came to Dorset in the early seventies, I’ve been photographing its landscape and wildlife, and I never stop marvelling at the beauty of our fantastic county. It has been a great delight and honour for me to illustrate this book.”
How can I buy the book?
Dorset A Naturalist’s County is a lavishly illustrated paperback, published by The Dovecote Press at £14.95 with a foreword by Sir David Attenborough. Available from Dorset Wildlife Trust shop or 01305 264620 and at all good Dorset bookshops.
-ENDS-
Notes to Editor
For more information please contact Nicky Hoar at Dorset Wildlife Trust on 01305 264620.
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About Dorset Wildlife Trust www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk
Working for a secure future for Dorset’s wildlife enriching the quality of life Dorset Wildlife Trust works to champion wildlife and natural places, to engage and inspire people and to promote sustainable living. Founded in 1961, DWT is now the largest voluntary nature conservation organisation in Dorset, with over 25,000 members and over 40 nature reserves. Most are open daily and there are visitor centres providing a wealth of wildlife information at Brooklands Farm, Lorton Meadows, Kingcombe Meadows and Brownsea Island Nature Reserves, The Purbeck Marine Wildlife Reserve and the Urban Wildlife Centre at Upton Heath Nature Reserve. DWT plays a key role in dealing with local environmental issues and leads the way in establishing the practices of sustainable development and engaging new audiences in conservation, particularly in the urban areas.
Read our Blog "Wildlife Matters"
The Wildlife Trusts (TWT) www.wildlifetrusts.org
There are 47 individual Wildlife Trusts covering the whole of the UK and the Isle of Man and Alderney. All are working for an environment rich in wildlife for everyone. We have more than 800,000 members including 150,000 members of our junior branch Wildlife Watch. Our vision is to create A Living Landscape and secure Living Seas. We manage around 2,300 nature reserves and every year we advise thousands of landowners and organisations on how to manage their land for wildlife. We also run marine conservation projects around the UK, collecting vital data on the state of our seas and celebrating our amazing marine wildlife. Every year we work with thousands of schools and our nature reserves and visitor centres receive millions of visitors. Each Wildlife Trust is working within its local communities to inspire people about the future of their area: their own Living Landscapes and Living Seas.
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Front cover Dorset A Naturalists County
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