Environmental groups and enthusiasts are joining together to provide information about the nature and wildlife in and around Wareham in Dorset, including the latest news about the first breeding pair of osprey birds along the South Coast in 200 years.
The Wareham Nature and Wildlife Fair, organised by eco group Sustainable Wareham, is between 10 am and 12 noon on Saturday 20th April 2024 at Wareham Town Hall, East Street.
The reintroduction of breeding ospreys to the South Coast of England was a success in 2023 and hopes are high that 2024 will be just as good with the laying of a first egg
First osprey egg
Those setting up stalls at the free event include The Birds of Poole Harbour, who along with Careys Secret Garden, are supporting the project to reintroduce ospreys to Dorset.
The pair of ospreys who successfully bred in 2023 on a nest platform at Careys Secret Garden near Wareham, have returned for this spring and produced the first egg on Monday 15th April 2024.
The team from Birds of Poole Harbour will be at the fair with a live feed of the nest webcam, as more eggs are expected soon and they will be able to chat about the latest developments.
The fair in 2023 proved popular so is being held again
Promoting sustainable transport, Anna from Sustrans will be returning to the fair this year
Homemade cake
The fair is intended to be an informal event, with everyone invited to drop in for a chat and to find out more about what’s happening in the natural environment on Wareham’s doorstep.
There will be activities, displays and leaflets as well as homemade cake and refreshments.
Stands include:
- Sustainable Wareham
- Sustrans
- Purbeck Safari
- Forestry England
- Wareham Arc
- National Trust – Purbeck Heath
- Dorset Seal Project
- Wild Woodbury
- Blue Pool
- Careys Secret Garden
- Holton Lee
- Dorset Mammal Group
- Wild Wonderers
- Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC)
- Purbeck Natural History Forum
Find out more about the Dorset Seal Project run by the Dorset Wildlife Trust which records sightings of seals and provides information about seal watching without disturbing them
The Purbeck Natural History Forum brings landowners, conservation organisations and volunteer wildlife recorders together and will be attending the fair
“Unique landscape on our doorstep”
The first Wareham Nature and Wildlife Fair took place in 2023 and was so popular that it was decided to do it all again for 2024.
Organising the event again is Vicky Charles from Sustainable Wareham. She said:
“We’ve invited a whole host of interesting people from large organisations like the National Trust to an individual author who writes books about nature for children.
“There will be lots of information about the unique landscape on our doorstep as well as special offers to visit local places like Blue Pool.
“When many people think of Purbeck, they think of the sea, but there’s plenty more to the area including the forest, heathland, rivers and water meadows and it’s here for 12 months of the year, not just for the summer season.
“It would be great to see lots of people come along and see what we are up to, as well as having a tea or coffee, plus sampling our delicious cakes!”
Forestry England will be on hand to talk to people about the delivery of wildlife conservation across its land, including Wareham Forest
Further information
- More about the Wareham Nature and Wildlife Fair on the Sustainable Wareham website
