A 'MINI New Forest' will be created in Dorset thanks to a new project which will see the expansion of land where cattle, ponies and pigs are free to roam.

A project aimed at expanding the natural grazing systems at National Trust's Hartland Moor and Natural England's Stoborough Heath has been launched as a means of creating a mini New Forest in the area between Stoborough, Corfe Castle and Arne near Wareham.

Different breeds of cattle, ponies and pigs will be free to roam across an area of 1,370 hectares of the Purbeck Heaths National Nature Reserve, in a bid to create the greatest possible variety of grazing and trampling in the area to help spread different species across the landscape - a grazing system used in the New Forest.

David Brown, ecologist with the National Trust, said: "It's incredibly exciting to see plans that we have worked on for very many years come to fruition.

"Cattle, ponies and pigs have a unique impact on their environment and by giving them free range across a large landscape we will be unleashing their power to create a dynamic mosaic of habitats as they trample, root, wallow and graze."

Work to install seven new cattle grids will begin at the end of the month and will continue through to December. Diversions and delays may be possible.

The project is supported by a partnership between the RSPB, National Trust, Natural England and Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and is funded by the government's Wytch Farm Landscape and Access Enhancement Fund.

Councillor Ray Bryan, Dorset Council portfolio holder for highways, travel and environment, said: "It's testament to the quantity of our natural environment and the collaboration between organisations that this project was chosen for significant government investment against stiff competition from across England.

"In the face of a nature and climate crisis, this project provides a win, win, win for nature, climate and people."

Peter Robertson, senior sites manager at RSPB Arne, said: "To be working so closely with our neighbours, literally taking down the fences between our land and land owned by the National Trust and Natural England, is the culmination of lots of partnership working over many years.

"Nature doesn't respect boundaries and we're excited about the opportunity to create such a significant, joined-up landscape for wildlife.

"It will also be an incredible landscape for people to visit and enjoy and to be able to see how it changes and evolves over time."

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