Applicant: Dorset Wildlife Trust
Location: Weymouth, South West
Grant awarded: £19,100
Total project cost: £22,672
Grant programme: Young Roots
Type of heritage: Countryside and nature
conservation
Aims of the project: To develop a nature trail and provide a range of activities for young people at Lorton Meadows Nature Reserve.
Background to the project
Before this project, Dorset Wildlife Trust (DWT) had received £711,200 from HLF for a capital works programme covering all their nature reserves. A further HLF grant of £136,688 enabled DWT to buy the Grade II listed Lorton Barn on the outskirts of Weymouth. The barn was restored and converted to create a visitor centre, and the surrounding land is being managed as a nature reserve.
This Young Roots project was designed to focus on the natural heritage of Lorton Meadows Nature Reserve, an area of grassland bounded by mature hedgerows and broadleaf woodland. Part of the site is an SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) and a site of Nature Conservation Interest. A steering group of DWT staff, volunteers and young people was set up to advise on the project.
What did the project involve?
The project was run by DWT’s People and Wildlife Officer. Young people from Wey Valley School’s Wildlife Club, Dorset Youth and Community Service in Littlemoor, Weymouth College, the Prince’s Trust and other groups were involved. They were supported by DWT staff and were able to use of DWT’s facilities and ICT equipment.
The HLF grant helped to fund the fitting out of an interpretation room at Lorton Barn. The young people designed the interpretation material installed in the new visitor centre. They also worked on restoring the land around the barn to create a pond and wildflower meadow. Maps, leaflets and signage were produced for the nature trail, which includes alternative short and long routes. The trail was opened at Easter 2004.
The project included other activities such as night walks, setting up a nature trail and making a wildlife video diary. Young people received training in skills such as habitat restoration and management, the use of hand tools, interpretation and research. At the end of the project, DWT will present participants with a record of achievement.
What difference did the project make?
Lorton Meadows Nature Reserve is an urban fringe nature reserve, close to areas of social housing in Weymouth. Before this project, the reserve was suffering from vandalism and inappropriate use. The combination of more people visiting the woods and a greater sense of local ownership means that these problems have declined greatly since the project began.
The project enabled young people from deprived and largely urban backgrounds to engage with their natural environment in new ways. The participants helped others to become involved by interpreting the nature reserve. They learned new skills, such as using maps, considering how to provide access for a range of users, and designing and setting up displays.
The project helped to promote young people’s sense of appreciation and ownership of Dorset’s natural heritage and to encourage conservation of that heritage. DWT will continue conservation-based activities with young people after the project is completed in winter 2004.
How did the project meet our criteria?
The project met our Young Roots criteria because it set out to:
Involve young people in the delivery and management of the project; and
had a strong heritage element.
Useful tips
Samantha Dallimore, DWT’s People and Wildlife Officer, comments, ‘The Trust had to take quite a lot of the initiative, because young people take some time to get into conservation-type roles – it doesn’t happen overnight. It’s important to tie your project in with a school – or other youth organisations – and with what the young people are doing there.’