Wareham Forest facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wareham Forest |
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 Location in Dorset
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| Geography | |
| Location | Dorset, England |
| OS grid | SY900900 |
| Coordinates | 50°43′05″N 2°09′58″W / 50.718°N 2.166°W |
Wareham Forest is a special countryside area in Dorset, England. It has wide-open heathlands, like Decoy Heath and Gore Heath. It also has many plantations of conifer trees, such as Morden Heath and Bloxworth Heath. This amazing place is looked after by Forestry England. They make sure the forest is protected and a great spot for people to visit.
Wareham Forest is located near the A35 road, between Dorchester and Poole. It's a safe home for many animals. You might spot sika deer, the small Dartford warbler, and even sand lizards here.
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History of Wareham Forest
Wareham Forest has an interesting past, including some big events.
Fires in the Forest
Wareham Forest was even featured in the American magazine Life way back on October 20, 1947. That article talked about a huge fire that burned for four days in the summer of 1947. This fire was on Wareham Heath. It was so big that it closed the road from Wareham to Bere Regis. The heat from the fire even caused old ammunition, left over from Second World War training, to explode!
A photo in the Life magazine showed firefighters working hard to stop the blaze. The flames were incredibly tall, reaching over 150 feet high! Luckily, because of their efforts, most of the forest was saved.
More recently, in May 2020, another large fire happened. This one, called the Wareham Forest fire, was thought to have started from a disposable barbecue or a campfire. The hot, dry weather made the fire much worse. This fire damaged about 550 acres (220 hectares) of the forest.
Visiting Wareham Forest
Today, part of Wareham Forest is a 55-acre tourist park and campsite. It's a popular place for people to stay and enjoy nature.
Plants and Animals of Wareham Forest
Wareham Forest is home to many different kinds of plants and animals. It's a great place to explore nature.
Walking and Cycling Trails
You can explore the forest on special paths. One path is part of the 'Wareham Forest Way', which is a walk that goes from Wareham to Sturminster Marshall. There's also a route just for bikes called the Sika Cycle Trail. East of the forest, you'll find Morden Bog National Nature Reserve, another important natural area.
What Grows Here?
Many types of plants grow well in Wareham Forest. You'll see Calluna, which is also known as heather. There are also grasses like Molinia caerulea, or purple moor grass. These plants are important because they provide food for the sika deer that live in the forest.
Who Lives Here?
Wareham Forest is a habitat for several interesting animals.
- The sika deer are often seen grazing on the heathland.
- The Dartford warbler is a small bird that is quite rare in the country. It has been seen around the forest.
- The nightjar, another special bird, has also been observed here.
- You might even spot sand lizards basking in the sun.
- The colorful fly agaric mushroom (Amanita muscaria) has been found growing in the forest.
- A study looked at the breeding of smooth snakes (Coronella austriaca) in the area for nine years.
Wareham Forest in Stories
Wareham Forest has even appeared in books! It is a setting for some parts of R. Hyslop's novel Wolf's-Head. This story takes place a long time ago, during the time of Æthelwulf of Wessex, an old English king.
