Welly Zone Project

Our 3-year Welly Zone project aims to investigate Dorset’s intertidal and shallow water habitats. The Welly Zone - from the strandline at high water mark down to the shallows accessible by wellies - covers a range of different habitats with a huge variety of wildlife from marine to land-based species.

Local people can find out about the wildlife on their local beach by carrying out simple surveys that everyone can do. Volunteer groups are being established along the coast, with identification and training sessions so that people can undertake regular recording and monitoring in their own time. Finds can range from jellyfish and mermaid’s purses washed up on the beach to live sightings of crabs and anemones in the shallows or shore birds feeding on insects on the strandline. All of the records will be used to increase knowledge both of the habitats themselves and of wildlife further out to sea, adding to Dorset’s marine biodiversity database.

To register as a Welly Zone volunteer complete the application form and send to Julie Hatcher at jhatcher@dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk or post to Fine Foundation Marine Centre, Kimmeridge, Wareham, Dorset BH20 5PF. Join a training session or survey - download the programme of training events here.

Find out what we achieved during 2011. Click on our Welly Zone News download here.

About the Surveys

The Welly Zone project has three different types of survey that you can take part in, depending on the type of beach.

• Wildlife on Your Seashore - an easy to do survey where volunteers look for specific species and habitats of interest in a 20 minute search on their local beach. The recording form also has space for any other sightings of interest and asks volunteers to describe the beach they were on. Training sessions in identification and recording are run a few times a year across the county where the ID packs to assist with this survey are distributed. The recording form for this survey is available to download here along with some guidance notes here.
   
• The Strandline Survey - this survey is looking at the quality of the strandline habitat across Dorset and what sorts of animals are using it. The strandline can be a very important and diverse habitat and we would like to know more about it and what uses it. Volunteers are asked to record whether they see birds and mammals feeding on the strandline and what sorts of invertebrates are living in it. The recording form for this survey is available to download here along with some guidance notes. Strandline sessions will be run throughout the year.
   
• The Dorset Beach Survey - whenever you are out and about on the shore, take note of some of the interesting things you find washed up on the beach and what you can see on the water from where you are. Egg cases, foraging seabirds, dolphins, litter and jellyfish are all of interest and can help us learn more about what is happening along our coast. Identification guides for shark and ray egg cases and for jellyfish are available on request and you can find a recording form for this survey here along with some guidance notes here.

Completed recording forms for any of the surveys can be sent, along with any photographs of what you have seen (low resolution please) to Kdawson@dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk or post to Kathryn Dawson, Marine Survey and Data Officer, Dorset Wildlife Trust, Brooklands Farm, Forston, Dorchester, DT2 7AA

For other activities and events along the Dorset coast - have a look at the Wild About Weymouth & Portland project here.

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Try out one of our
Wildlife on Your Seashore ID guides

Taking part in a Welly Zone
Survey in Weymouth

All photos by Steve Trewhella