The HCT's Nature Reserves

The HCT is one of the UK’s leading managers of lowland dry heathland and owns, leases or formally manages over 80 reserves covering, in total, over 1400 ha (3500 acres). It works in close co-operation with private landowners such as the Canford Estate and the Malmesbury Estate, and with organisations such as the Ministry of Defence and the Forestry Commission, as well as with local Golf Courses in Dorset, Hampshire, Sussex and Surrey. Today, much of The HCT’s resources are directed to the management of our reserves. Natural England provides Grant Aid for a large number of reserves in the form of the Reserves Enhancement Scheme and the Wildlife Enhancement Scheme and this funding assists the Trust in maintaining these sites.

The Trust owns seven sites totalling just over 170 ha.:- Lions Hill, Noon Hill, Great Ovens Hill, Ham Common, East Worgret, Norden, Corfe Bluff, Martello Road Cliffs and Purbeck Close in Dorset, and Witley, Hankley and Hyton marsh in Surrey. The purchase of these sites has been made possible as a result of generous funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the European Union’s LIFE Grant, The British Herpetological Society, Viridor through the land fill tax credit system, and donations from landowners.

Great Ovens Hill is one of our key reserves and is at the eastern end of what was Thomas Hardy’s famous Egdon Heath. As well as supporting significant populations of the Sand Lizard and Smooth Snake, this site is one of the most important heaths in Dorset for the Dartford Warbler, and also supports several extremely rare invertebrates. Our smallest acquisition is Purbeck Close which is a garden pond site purchased to protect its colony of Great Crested Newts.

Other important reserves, such as Parley Common, Ferndown Common and Town Common near Christchurch, are leased or managed under licence and support important reptiles populations despite the fact that they are under significant pressure from the adjacent Bournemouth conurbation. In these areas we invest significant resources in to provide wardens and fire breaks to protect the sites. The Trust’s sites in the Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire contrast noticeably in that there are comparatively few urban pressures threatening the heathland and its wildlife, and as such the problems of arson, fly-tipping, vehicular damage etc. are greatly reduced.

The HCT is assisted by volunteer work parties who help with reserve management, wardening and monitoring of the wildlife on our sites.

Map showing locations of our Dorset Reserves

Map showing locations of our Weald Reserves