The Dorset Heaths form an important area of heathland within the Poole Basin[Part of the Hampshire Basin] in southern England. Much of the area is protected.
Extent
According to
Natural England, who have designated the Dorset Heaths as National Character Area 135, the heathlands cover an area of 61,662 hectares, whose boundary runs from
Stinsford and
Warmwell in the west via
Wimborne Minster to
Fordingbridge in the far northeast. It then turns southwards to
Hengistbury Head, before following the coastline to
Studland and
Brownsea Island then finally heading westwards - north of
South Purbeck (with the
Purbeck Hills) and the Weymouth Lowlands - to the Warmwell area.
[ NCA 135: Dorset Heaths Key Facts & Data at www.naturalengland.org.uk. Accessed on 3 Apr 2013.]
Character
The character of the Dorset Heaths contrasts strongly with its neighbouring
. Undulating lowland heath with
Calluna,
and
gorse alternates with exposed, open, large-scale
farmland,
woodland and
scrubland. Blocks of conifers form locally prominent landmarks. Apart from the major
Poole-
Bournemouth-Christchurch conurbation on the coast, much of the area is sparsely populated with scattered settlements and a few small villages and towns. Valleys are flat-bottomed and open with
floodplain pastures. There is an outer perimeter of low, rolling hills marking the transition to
chalk downland.
[ Dorset Heaths at www.naturalengland.org.uk. Accessed on 4 Sep 2013]
Geography
Topography
The land within the Dorset Heaths rises to a maximum of at Creech Barrow Hill,
[ Database of British and Irish Hills, Appendix P30, v2.1][Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 Landranger map series][ Dorset Heaths - Natural Area Profile, by English Nature, Oct 1997, at www.naturalareas.naturalengland.org.uk. Accessed on 3 Apr 2013.][Note that Natural England's NCA profile gives the highest point as 174 m, but clearly implies Creech Barrow Hill is part of the NCA. English Nature give the height as 195 m.] but the average height is just .
Rivers
Major rivers include the Frome, Stour,
Moors River,
River Piddle,
River Sherford, Allen,
Corfe River and Dorset Avon.
Main settlements
The largest settlement within the Dorset Heaths is the extensive South East Dorset conurbation, this includes the large towns of
Poole,
Bournemouth and Christchurch. Other significant Satellite towns are Wareham,
Fordingbridge and
Wimborne Minster. The total population for the NCA was 446,296 as of 2001 with an increase to 466,626 following the 2011 census.
[4]
Protected areas
The Dorset Heaths are home to a large number of
including:
-
Ramsar sites and Special Protection Areas: Dorset Heathlands SPA, Poole Harbour SPA, Avon valley SPA
-
Special areas of conservation: Dorset Heaths SAC, Dorset Heaths (Purbeck & Wareham) & Studland Dunes SAC, Isle of Portland to Studland Cliffs SAC; River Avon SAC.
-
National nature reserves: Studland and Godlingston Heath NNR, Holt Heath NNR; Hartland Moor NNR; Stoborough Heath NNR; Holton Heath NNR; Morden Bog NNR; Arne Reedbeds NNR.
