Alners Gorse Nature Reserve

Alners Gorse: how the world should be - I did not have great expectations when I set out to visit Alners Gorse, I cannot really tell you why, I just didn't. I have to say, though, that I was totally overwhelmed by what a wonderful place it is. Butterfly Conservation in Dorset deserve some special award for their work here. Regardless of butterflies, the flowers are amazing and bees and hoverflies are amazing. The flora has some species that, whilst not rare, are generally uncommon and plants like pepper-saxifrage, dyers greenweed, hoary ragwort, devils-bit scabious and saw-wort abound. There are several species of sedge and reed all of which make for an attractive habitat for butterflies and other insect species. There are open areas and scrubby areas and some wooded areas; a diversity of habitat creating a diversity of plant life creating a diversity of insect life which feeds a diversity of birds and mammals. Is that not how the world should be? It was once of course. Great place; well done Dorset Butterfly Conservation.