Island Life Magazine Ltd October/ November 2012 | Page 81

COUNTRY LIFE

Heathland restoration at Bouldner

Silver studded blue pair by Alex Cruickshank

habitat and landscape diversity. These
ponds were built to add to existing
ponds in the Forest which were getting
shaded and give the wetland wildlife of
the forest new opportunities to expand
their range.
This management has brought
about a landscape-scale change to
the north-west Wight. Spectacular
views have been restored but also
heathland wildlife has returned. As
well as characteristic heathland plants
such as bell heather, common heather,
tormentil, wood sage and dwarf gorse,
four scarce plants have been found
including pale violet, heath dog violet,
dodder and cyperus sedge. Nig