May's Woods
Shitterton, Bere Regis
Woodland Restoration
This page will show the latest information on works carried out in the woodlands.
Please email info@savemetrust.org for any further updates
8th December 2023 Felling of Ash Trees.
In the next weeks we will be carrying out ash safety felling along the public footpaths. This work is required as the trees are infected with ash die-back which will lead to their death and cause high risk to members of the public and our onsite teams. We hope that all paths remain open however the operations may require some minor delays. Please adhere to all safety warning signs and follow directions given by operators as works take place.
The work is due to start as soon as the electricity supply company confirm a shut-down to allow us to fell some dead and dying ash trees that are by the power lines. This is out of our control, but as soon as the shutdown is confirmed we will need to start the felling. We are expecting confirmation for January. These warning signs will be used .
1st September 2023 Access to Mays Wood
May’s Wood Remains Open to Responsible, Permissive, Pedestrian Access.
To provide wildlife and their habitat, appropriate protection we have closed the two deer fenced areas. Area two is bisected by a public footpath. The deer fenced areas represent only around 33% of May’s Wood.
The closures have demonstrated the benefits to wildlife of protection from dogs and walkers within the fenced areas.
Wildlife protection remains the highest objective for the woodland and its future management and maturity. To allow the continued monitoring of wildlife benefits these areas will remain closed.
For the sake of all wildlife habitat, we respectfully ask that all dogs in the woodland are kept on leads and that people clean up after their dogs and take this waste home.
Apologies to those of our community who have been using the woods respectfully.
We receive regular complaints of dog fouling and anti-social dog behaviour in the woodlands. We respectfully remind you to abide by the law while using the permissive access that we have granted on this private land. We ask that you keep all dogs on their leads and clean up any fouling. Please do look at the law below in relation to dog behaviour and fouling. This page was written by a dog lover who has three dogs!
Dogs Behaviour & the Law
It’s against the law to let a dog be dangerously out of control anywhere, such as:
- in a public place
- in a private place, for example a neighbour’s house or garden
- in the owner’s home
The law applies to all dogs.
Your dog is considered dangerously out of control if it:
- injures someone
- makes someone worried that it might injure them
A court could also decide that your dog is dangerously out of control if either of the following apply:
- it attacks someone’s animal
- the owner of an animal thinks they could be injured if they tried to stop your dog attacking their animal
Penalties
You can get an unlimited fine or be sent to prison for up to 6 months (or both) if your dog is dangerously out of control. You may not be allowed to own a dog in the future and your dog may be destroyed.
If you let your dog injure someone you can be sent to prison for up to 5 years or fined (or both). If you deliberately use your dog to injure someone you could be charged with ‘malicious wounding’.
If you allow your dog to kill someone you can be sent to prison for up to 14 years or get an unlimited fine (or both).
If you allow your dog to injure an assistance dog (for example a guide dog) you can be sent to prison for up to 3 years or fined (or both).
Dog Fouling & the Law
Dog fouling – whether loose or bagged – is offensive, disgusting and a potential health hazard. It is a widespread problem, but sometimes changing the behaviour of just a few thoughtless dog owners can make a big difference.
Not only is dog mess unsightly, smelly and a nightmare when trodden in, but it’s actually a lot worse for the environment than people realise. It’s full of nasty bacteria and parasites that can be harmful to local wildlife and it can easily affect nearby water supplies as well.
Cleaning up after your four-legged friend is part and parcel of being a responsible dog owner, so take some pride in your surroundings and stop giving other more considerate dog owners a bad name
There are approximately 9 million pet dogs in the UK. One in four households in the UK has one, and they produce 1,000 tonnes of poo a day, or 365,000 tonnes a year
If a dog fouls in a public place, by law, the owner or the person in charge of the dog at the time must clean up after it. Burying, covering it up or hanging a poo bag on a tree is not sufficient; it must be removed.
The penalty for not clearing up dog fouling can be up to £1,000.
If not cleared up immediately, dog waste can infect soil and sand with a variety of worms than can be passed to humans, especially children, and cause illness- even blindness. These include tapeworm, hookworm, whipworm and roundworm. Children playing are more likely to touch the ground and risk infection. Contact with dog excrement can cause toxocariasis – a nasty infection that can lead to dizziness, nausea, asthma and even blindness or seizures
Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, it is also an offence to allow large quantities of dog waste to accumulate in your garden. Small amounts of dog waste can be disposed of in domestic refuse, as long as they are in a sealed bag.
This was written by a dog lover who has three dogs!