Restoring a section of neglected heathland habitat could take two to three years, a charity has said.
Dorset Wildlife Trust has completed the purchase of 110 acres at Upton Heath, near Poole, after a successful fundraising campaign.
CEO Brian Bleese says the first job has been to clear large amounts of litter that had accumulated and to carry out surveys to assess the health of the habitat.
Other priorities include scrub clearance and re-establishing fire breaks to prevent the spread of wildfires.