Five years after the creation of the UK’s first-ever ‘super’ national nature reserve (NNR), volunteers have reported a remarkable resurgence of species across the Purbeck Heaths.

At the recent AGM of the Purbeck Natural History Forum, speakers shared the results of a year of monitoring across the 3,331-hectare reserve, which spans land owned by seven partner organisations.

Peter Robertson, from the RSPB, speaking on behalf of the partnership, said: “We are hugely grateful to the Purbeck Natural History Forum for all its work.

In five years, they have helped the Purbeck Heaths become a national beacon for monitoring, experimentation and research in nature restoration.”

The latest monitoring results revealed a record 97 breeding pairs of Dartford warblers at Arne – an extraordinary recovery for a species that was almost extinct in the UK in the 1960s.

More than 2,000 silver-studded blue butterflies were recorded in 2024 and 2025, marking the highest counts ever during a time of national butterfly decline.

(Image: Mark Singleton)

A nationally rare ground beetle, known for its striking green and gold colouring, is thriving on Hartland Moor, while endangered water voles have been recorded on several sites across the heath.

Pine martens, which are critically endangered in England, have also been recorded for the first time at Little Sea.

Rare plant species are flourishing too, with increasing numbers of marsh gentians, great sundews, pale dog violets and yellow centaury spotted across the reserve.

The Purbeck Natural History Forum was established in 2022 to monitor species across the whole landscape, rather than on individual reserves.

Volunteers survey everything from birds and small mammals, to butterflies, dragonflies, glowworms and wildflowers.

They work at consistent times along set transects to ensure reliable year-on-year data. Jasper Iepema, freelance ecologist supporting the natural history forum, said: “We have over 300 members, including both expert naturalists and enthusiastic amateurs. They are united by a passion for wildlife and a commitment to do whatever they can to help nature recover. Together they put in an incredible 6,000 hours of surveying this year.”