Telegraph Hill, Hilfield: habitat enhancement for the Duke of Burgundy butterfly

We have funding to carry out emergency habitat management for Dorset’s most endangered butterfly species: the Duke of Burgundy. This butterfly is now reduced to six small colonies in the county, all of which require careful management to maintain suitable habitat. We plan to carry out scrub control on several of these sites during the coming winter, which will greatly increase the butterfly’s chances of survival. The work is funded under a Farming in Protected Landscapes (FIPL) grant awarded to Hilfield Friary, in conjunction with the Dorset Branch of Butterfly Conservation and EuCAN CIC.

This is the fourth of the five sites we will be working on in this exciting new project – we have already carried out two days of work on Red Post Hill at Up Sydling, a day on Black Hill at Cerne Abbas and two days on Giant Hill at Cerne Abbas.

We are looking for practical support from as many people as possible at this site and the last one (Batcombe Down).

Please bring your refreshments and lunch with you and PPE if you will be working with power tools (certificated users only).

Meet in the layby on the Lyons Gate to Batcombe road for a 9am start. What3Words:  overdone.sponsors.hillside or click on the link of the location title above.

If you plan to join us please get in touch so that I can organise the work. 07981776767 or email nigelspring@yahoo.co.uk .