Lead organisation
Lower Barton Farm
Project details
This project will transform 7 hectares at Lower Barton Farm into vibrant, species-rich chalk grassland through targeted wildflower oversowing using locally sourced seed. Every investment drives real habitat regeneration—from site preparation and expert sowing to ongoing adaptive management guided by specialist advisors.
By restoring this land, we are creating a crucial ecological corridor linking directly to Black Hill Down SSSI, expanding biodiversity and reconnecting fragmented habitats. By weaving nature recovery into working farmland, this project demonstrates the vision at the heart of the Dorset National Landscape: productive agriculture and thriving wildlife, flourishing side by side.
Project location
The project site is located within the South Wessex Downs chalk landscape approximately 800 metres from Black Hill Down SSSI.
Fit with the Big Chalk Programme
This project restores chalk grassland while championing wildlife-friendly farming, strengthening Dorset’s ecological fabric and connecting habitats across the landscape. It delivers directly on Local Nature Recovery Strategy priorities, turning coordinated, landscape-scale vision into tangible action.
By boosting biodiversity, re-linking fragmented habitats, and supporting threatened species like the Duke of Burgundy and Marsh Fritillary butterflies, this work embodies the Big Chalk Programme’s mission—uniting people and nature to create thriving, resilient chalk landscapes for generations to come.
Wider social and environmental considerations
This project goes beyond immediate habitat restoration to showcase a new way of working with the land, where wildlife-friendly farming and sustainable management deliver benefits for people, nature, and the wider landscape. The restored chalk grassland will hum with life, supporting pollinators, birds, and invertebrates, while providing essential ecosystem services that reach far beyond the farm boundaries.
Through adaptive management guided by careful monitoring, we are committed to long-term stewardship—ensuring every action is effective, refined, and built to last. The impact of this work will endure for decades, leaving a resilient, thriving chalk landscape for wildlife and communities alike.
The Big Chalk programme and Nature Recovery Fund is funded through the Protected Landscapes Partnership, supported by Defra.
Do you have a project that could strengthen the future of southern England’s iconic chalk and limestone landscapes?
The Big Chalk programme brings together a dynamic suite of partner-led projects, each unique in its focus, area, and partnerships but sharing a commitment to our collective vision.
If your project contributes to the Big Chalk mission, we invite you to register it as a Big Chalk Project. Registered projects gain access to networking, shared learning, and best practice—alongside the Big Chalk brand, boosting your profile and connecting you to a powerful, growing network of partners.
Together, these projects form a united effort to secure the future of southern England’s chalk and limestone landscapes, making a lasting impact for nature and communities.