Dorset Wildlife Trust recently acquired the large field behind the Youth Club and Skate Board Park.

This will be added to Lorton Meadows Nature Reserve and other land running down to Lodmoor RSPB Reserve and the park-and-ride site, including Teddy Bear Woods (Horselynch Plantation) and Two Mile Coppice (owned by the Woodland Trust) to form a new Lorton Valley Nature Park.

This will be managed by Dorset Wildlife Trust (DWT), in conjunction with local people and organisations.

DWT is planning to hold a launch party in September, and wants to form an ‘Engagement Group’.

Work will be done to improve access to the new park from Littlemoor .

A new entrance will be put in from the small car park between the Youth Club and ball court; scrub around the war-time bunker behind the water reservoir will be cleared and a new access to Coffin Plantation will be put in.

Kissing gates and stiles in Lorton Meadows will be enlarged or replaced; information boards will be installed at access points.

Local people and group representatives are needed, to make sure that the work planned will be what local people want.

There will be decisions to take, and some work to do.

For example: do we want some permissive cycle routes through the park, for example to the Wey Valley Schools?

All local people and organisations are urged to get involved in the decision-making process, and to join work-parties if they wish.

Please get in touch with the Lorton Visitor Centre on 816546, or Malcolm Beeson on 832572.