In 2020, the BHS was pleased to be able to donate £25,000 to help the ARC purchase 50 acres of an important heathland site at Blackmoor in Hampshire.

See the original news article on this here: BHS contribution to Blackmoor purchase

In late 2023, an opportunity arose for ARC to purchase another 26 acres of the site, thereby significantly increasing the protection level. The BHS is delighted to have contributed £10,000 towards the ARC funding target , which has now been reached, so ensuring the additional land purchase can go ahead. This BHS funding has been made possible by a substantial legacy donation received from the late Michael Warburg, which the Society gratefully acknowledges.

From ARC:

`Blackmoor is an area of 41.66 hectares (103 acres) within the Woolmer Forest SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) in Hampshire. It is the only part of Woolmer Forest that is in private ownership. In 2019 with donations including one from the BHS, ARC was successful in purchasing 50 acres of the southern end of the site. More recently the landowner has agreed to sell a further 10.5 hectares (26 acres) of the site to ARC. This will enable ARC to own 75% of this important SSSI. The remaining 25% of the SSSI is subject to a 10 year licence agreement between the owner and ARC'

BHS has generously donated funding towards the purchase of 20 hectares (50acres) of Hampshire heathland to Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) from the BHS Conservation/Land Fund earlier this year. This site at Blackmoor is part of Woolmer Forest Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) which is one of the most important areas of heathland in southern England.

Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) are seeking to raise £206,000 to enable purchase of an additional 19 hectares of Parley Common - important lowland heathland in Dorset.  The BHS has pledged £10,000 towards the target!    Successful purchase of this acreage would increase the area of Parley Common owned by ARC to almost 20% of the total site area - thereby safeguarding an area of heathland on the site in perpetuity.  

BHS Council have agreed to donate £25,000 from the land fund towards the total £250,000 target which, if reached, will  enable ARC to purchase 50 acres of Blackmoor in Hampshire - an important heathland habitat for herptiles.

The BHS funds will be made available to ARC when the pledge and donation target is achieved.

For more details of the site and ARC appeal, please click here: ARC Blackmoor Appeal

Earlier this year, the BHS Council agreed to donate £25,000 from the Land Fund to the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust (ARC) to support a consortium purchase of a number of parcels of land being sold by the Canford Estate in Dorset. The consortium consists of the Dorset Wildlife Trust, the Lesley Haskins Charitable Trust, Poole Borough Council, Poole Harbour Commissioners and the ARC. The ARC and HCT already held leases on six of the land parcels that were being sold and there was initially serious concern as to who would buy the land and what their intentions would be. However with the consortium now purchasing land parcels containing the most important heathland habitat, the future management of these sites for the benefit of wildlife in general and herps in particular seems assured. The total land purchase cost is likely to be either £2.25M or £3.35M depending on whether an application for a £1M lottery grant is approved. The higher value funding will enable all six important land parcels to be purchased; if the lower level only is achieved, fewer parcels will be purchased.

Contracts were exchanged in June 2013 with completion - including payment of either the full or reserve property price - being set for end March 2014.

The BHS donation will contribute specifically to the purchase of Dunyeats Hill. The BHS is delighted to be able to support the consortium and this important initiative.

http://www.arc-trust.org/