Owner: East Dorset District Council

Managed by: East Dorset Countryside Management Service

Site designation:

• Local Nature Reserve

Grid reference: SU 092 078

Nearest town: Verwood

Size (Ha): 1 Ha

Nearest bus stop: Manor Road, Wilts and Dorset bus route numbers X36, 134, 136

Nearest train station: Bournemouth (15 miles)

Habitats: Lowland heath

Look out for: small ponds support variety of freshwater invertebrates as well as smooth and palmate newts and frogs, some reptiles including common lizards, adders,

Parking: At Scout Hut on Manor Road

Accessibility: No steep gradients but some paths are narrow in places and may by uneven ground, currently squeeze stiles on site but will be replaced by accessible gates in future

Facilities: dog bins at main entrances to site at Scout hut off Manor Road and Newtown Road

How to get there:

From Verwood,follow Manor Road (B3072) towards 3-Legged Cross. Potterne Hill is on the left hand side of the road, entrance from the Scout Hut car park before you get to the junction with Newtown Road.

From Three-Legged Cross, follow signs for Verwood (Manor Road, B3072). After going past signs for Potterne Playing Fields on your right, continue round the bend, past Newtown Road, and the Scout Hut car park is on your right.

Management plan:

The site had been neglected for many years before East Dorset Countryside Management Service took responsibility for its management, and as a result much of the heath had been lost to the growth of woodland scrub, and particularly an invasive North American garden shrub called Amalanchier, which dominated much of the site.

During the winter of 2003, with support from Hardy's Egdon Heath Heritage Lottery Fund and English Nature, the site was excavated and all of the Amalanchier removed, along with the root systems. The excavated area was then seeded with heather cuttings taken from nearby Stephens Castle heathland. The site is now being monitored, with any remaining Amamlanchier being removed. The heathland restoration has been very effective and much of the heather seed has germinated and become established. The challenge facing East Dorset Countryside Management Service on this site is the control of invasive species such as Birch, Willow and European gorse. It is hoped that the site will become permanently fenced and seasonally grazed with fully accessible gates.

If you would like to find out more about future management plans for Potterne Hill, please contact Matt Reeks at Moors Valley Country Park on 01425 470721, or e-mail mreeks@eastdorset.gov.uk