The internationally important lowland heathland landscape of the South Purbeck Heaths, similar to many other heathland landscapes around the Poole Basin, is a complex and diverse mosaic of open dry and wet heath and wooded scrubby heath. A range of land uses affect condition, with the fragile heaths under constant pressures. During the twentieth century a notable fragmentation of heathlands occurred, particularly due to the introduction of conifer plantations. More recently attention has been paid to projects that have delivered heathland restoration. A significant, although reduced, extent of forestry plantation remains, along with a variety of other land uses including mineral extraction and planned farms. The wild appearance of the open heathlands has been well document in Thomas Hardy’s writings.

Landscape change

• Sea level rise along the coast is threatening valued habitats and residential and visitor-based development.
• Ongoing mineral workings, notably for nationally significant reserves of Ball Clay.
• Intensive forestry leading to defragmentation of heathland habitats and a reduction in perceived wildness and remoteness. Recent years have seen a partial reversal of these impacts following the implementation of heathland restoration projects.
• Ongoing oil extraction activities have resulted in the ongoing need to maintain a network of high specification tracks in some areas, as well as a degree of screening from forestry plantation trees. Such impacts should be offset through the delivery of funded landscape enhancement initiatives, secured though planning agreements.
• There is evidence of pressure for built development along major transport corridors.
• Some conversion from heathland and grassland to intensive arable production.
• The loss of features such as hedgerows, combined with inconsistent field boundary management has led to a reduction in the visual integrity of the landscape.
• Intensive farming practices and more intensive grassland management has resulted in changes in the visual character of the landscape as well as a decline in farmland birds.
• The proximity to populations of surrounding towns could result in erosion by walkers and pressure for visitor facilities in the open landscape.
• Continued visitor pressure leading to an increase the proliferation of signage and traffic calming schemes.
• Scrub encroachment along roadsides obscures open views to the surrounding heathlands.