WORK to restore wildflower meadows is back on track in the relief road conservation area following a series of arson attacks over the summer.

The grass, on former maize fields next to Horse Lynch Plantation, known locally as Teddy Bear Woods, was cut during the summer.

The poor quality hay it produced was put to rot at the edge of the field, but was frequently set alight by arsonists.

Dorset County Council natural environment manager Dr Phil Sterling said: “We originally intended for the hay to rot at the edge of the field where we wanted to plant trees and hedges, but we were forced to burn it in a controlled manor because of repeated arson attacks.

“Not only were firefighters and police officers called out numerous times, the fires threatened the existing trees, hedges and wildlife.”

Now, hay from Tidmoor Ranges at Chickerell, which is known to have a good range of wildflowers in it, has been spread over the maize fields as a seed source.

This will be supplemented with wildflower seeds collected by Dorset County Council, including corky-fruited water dropwort, a nationally rare plant that thrives in meadows in Dorset, and Dyer’s greenweed, which is a yellow-flowering herb that has declined all over the country in recent decades.

Not only are the wildflower meadows being put back, but the fields are providing a new home to the thousands of reptiles, such as slowworm and common lizard, that were rescued from the disused Lodmoor north landfill before work on the new park and ride site began in earnest.

In addition, Skanska has provided barn owl nest boxes, made by a local carpenter, to be put up in Horse Lynch Plantation to encourage these beautiful birds back to hunt over the fields.

Dr Sterling added: “We’re turning this area, bought by the county council as part of the environmental mitigation of the Weymouth Relief Road, into an area for people and wildlife. In the future it will be managed by the Dorset Wildlife Trust as part of their Lorton Meadows Nature Reserve.

“We want to restore these fields to provide an abundance of wildflowers that were there in the early 1990s. We want it to become an enjoyable area for dog-walkers, ramblers and nature-lovers.

“We are very grateful to the MoD for allowing us to take hay from their firing range in Chickerell, since the flowers that grow there closely match the ones we want in Horse Lynch fields.”

The conservation area, which runs from just to the east of Horse Lynch Plantation across to the Dorset Wildlife Trust Reserve, will soon be fenced, with plenty of gates and stiles included so it continues to be easily accessible.