Vandalism puts conservation at risk, council warns

Vandalism is putting a conservation site at risk, a council has warned.

Dorset Council said fencing at Stephens Castle in Verwood, Dorset, was cut in multiple places between 15 and 16 October, leaving the entire fence line needing to be replaced.

The fencing was installed to support the introduction of grazing animals as part of a wider conservation project.

Dorset Police has been informed, and additional patrols will be carried out in the area, the council said.

Councillor Jack Jeanes, Dorset Council's cabinet member for place services, said the damage "puts public money at risk, jeopardises important conservation work and could create serious safety issues once livestock are on site".

"The fencing is there to support a long-term conservation project that will help protect and improve this important heathland habitat while keeping the site open and accessible for residents," he said.

The council said the incident followed earlier reports of damage at the site in recent weeks.

Stephens Castle is a heathland site that has undergone significant restoration work over the past year.

Animals will be introduced to the area as a "traditional and natural" way of managing the habitat, the council said.

The fencing, which will contain the livestock, was also designed to allow other wildlife, including deer and smaller mammals, to pass through freely.

The council said that, had the grazing animals already been on site when the vandalism took place, they could have escaped onto nearby roads.

The project is supported by Natural England and is part of the site's long-term management and conservation.

The 20-hectare site is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, home to rare species including sand lizards, smooth snakes and Dartford warblers.