Conservation
More than 70 years of military management and the protection of a 12-ft high security fence has helped to create an almost unique habitat at Dean Hill Park. The security fence allowed the 45-acre yew woodland to thrive by keeping out nibbling deer, while years of incessant grass cutting – to prevent fires – and the fact that no fertilizers were used helped to create a herb and wildflower-rich chalk grassland.
The succession of chalk grassland, through juniper scrub in some areas, to yew woodland at Dean Hill Park is the finest example of this habitat in Wiltshire and Hampshire and this part of the site has been designated as an area of Special Scientific Interest. Other areas of the chalk grassland have been designated as county wildlife sites.
The grassland hosts an abundance of chalk-loving plant species including several varieties of wild orchid. It is also home to the nationally scarce Duke of Burgundy fritillary and the nationally declining chalkhill blue butterfly. Areas of hedgerow and scrub provide ideal habitat for bird species including garden and willow warblers, tree pipits, whitethroats and black caps. Other birds nesting at Dean Hill Park include green woodpeckers, turtle doves, hobby hawks and little owls.
In recent years, conservationists installed badger flaps into the security fence and there are several badger setts on site, along with foxes, which flourish due to an overabundance of rabbits. There is at least one pair of brown hare living in the park.
The SSSI is managed in consultation with English Nature and the owners’ aim is to run the site in participation with a conservation group of volunteers from the local area, which includes botanists, ornithologists and experts on butterflies and insects.
Detailed report
You can view a detailed conservation report of the ecology and management of Dean Hill Park.
Species lists recorded by the Dean Hill Park Conservation Group 2007
Species Lists for E&W Sidings
Species Lists for Eastern Blastbanks
Species Lists for Southern (SSSI) Grasslands
Bird List
Location of Juniper Bushes
Fungus Species Checklist
Identification of Roses
Conservation Group meetings
Regular meetings
Conservation Group programme of events for 2008 (provisional)
Quarterly meetings are held on the last Tuesday of the month in the evening. Next meeting April 30th.
Walks
6th May (1100 - 1300) - Ches Carpenter will lead a Duke of Burgundy butterfly identification class (may be subject to alteration according to Duke of Burgundy flying time).
17th June (1400) - Pat Woodruffe will lead a wildflower walk
26th October (1330) - Ted Gange will lead a fungus foray
Dates to be confirmed:
Butterfly walk (leader - Ches Carpenter)
Bird walk (leader - Mike Jennings)
General natural history walk
Tour of conservation/management activities
Photographic Exhibition
6th September - The Conservation Group will host a photographic exhibition at the Dean Hill Park Food, Craft and Garden Fair
For further information please contact Christine Warry on 01794 340149