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Photo: © Dana Assinder 2024
Exclusive members event at Wild Woodbury
Signed-up West Dorset Wilding members visited Dorset Wildlife Trust's pioneering rewilding project, Wild Woodbury for a free guided tour of this naturally regenerating landscape on 8th November.
Let by Dorset Wildlife Trust staff, this members only Autumn Walk and Talk, took in the thriving wildlife and wetlands to find out more about their work and future vison for Wild Woodbury.
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Hunt for the Shadow Wolf - Derek Gow in conversation with Sam Rose
As part of the 2024 Bridport Literary Festival, West Dorset Wilding Director Sam Rose was in conversation with renowned conservationist Derek Gow who presented his new book, Hunt for the Shadow Wolf.
Photo: © Sam Rose, 2024
Beaminster Eco Group Talk
West Dorset Wilding presented an interesting talk on our Landscape Recovery Project at the Beaminster Eco Group on 22nd October 2024.
Photo: © Katie Read, 2024
The Melplash Show
In August we spent a long and happy day at the Melplash Show, manning a stand in the Bridport Community Marquee to promote the work of West Dorset Wilding and the Brit Valley Landscape Recovery Project.
It was great to see so many familiar faces, and to have the opportunity to share our vision for a wilder West Dorset with farmers, landowners and the wider community. We also signed up some new members and handed out complimentary shots of cider, kindly donated by local producer and West Dorset Wilding sponsor, Wyldlands.
We have plans to be back again next year, so look out for us!
Members Event- Hogchester Meadows
Our last members event in early July 2024 was a wild and wonderful (if very wet!) talk and walk at Hogchester Meadows, near Charmouth, led by Rob Powell, custodian of the land, and supported by our very own Nick Gray.
Rob and Nick have worked together from the outset on the regeneration of the Hogchester land, and in previous seasons the meadows in early July have been in full bloom, and dazzling in their biodiversity, as seen on BBCs 'Wild Isles' with Sir David Attenborough.
This year's erratic spring and summer weather had left its mark on the meadows; many of the flowering species had set seed quickly, and a more subtle beauty was apparent. Looking closely, with our experts on hand, we spotted a complex tapestry of grasses and native flowers, heard how plantain might be the new yellow rattle, and traced brave butterflies as they dodged the downpours.
The heavy rain didn't dampen our enthusiasm either. Moving on to the steep slopes of the rewilded land, looking out to sea under the arc of a rainbow, Rob shared the story of this evolving scrub and wetland, backed by a chorus of finches feasting on thistles. It's hard to imagine a better endorsement for Rob's approach to land management at Hogchester. We're grateful to him for sharing his Sunday afternoon with us.