There is an exciting opportunity to join the Dorset Coast Forum team as a World Heritage Officer. This new post will be contributing to the protection and promotion of one of the UK’s most iconic natural assets – the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.
We are delighted to announce ‘Discovery Fest’ – as part of Dorset Coast Forum’s 30th Anniversary Celebrations, we are joining up with Planet Purbeck to present this joint vibrant, family-friendly festival by the sea.
👉 FREE family fun day
👉 Explore Dorset’s stunning coastline, wildlife, and natural landscapes
👉 Over 30 exciting activities and exhibitors
Guided Walks & Experiences
Swanage Old & New Guided Walk
🕚 11am & 2pm, 1-mile walk
Discover Swanage through the ages on a gentle, family-friendly walk led by Steve Wallis, Dorset Council’s Archaeologist. Uncover hidden historical features and stories that bring the town’s rich past to life.
Step back in time and walk where dinosaurs once roamed! Led by Sam Scriven, Principal Officer and Geologist for the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, this family-friendly outdoor adventure explores the famous Spyway Dinosaur Footprints.
Explore one of the most geologically rich and visually stunning stretches of the Jurassic Coast. Led by Sam Scriven, this tour brings Dorset’s ancient landscapes to life through expert storytelling.
We are delighted to announce ‘Discovery Fest’ – as part of Dorset Coast Forum’s 30th Anniversary Celebrations, we are joining up with Planet Purbeck to present this joint vibrant, family-friendly festival by the sea.
We invite DCF members to take part and join us with your Gazebo or Tabletop Information Stand – bring an interactive activity, walk or talk to inspire and engage visitors of all ages! This is a chance for you to showcase your project, community group or initiative, connect with the public, and celebrate our incredible Dorset coastline.
To secure your place, for more information or to chat through your activity ideas, please contactNikki and Izzy at:
Celebrating Coastal Lives – Thank You for Your Nominations!
A huge thank you to everyone who submitted a nomination for a Coastal Champion as part of our 30-year celebrations! Your incredible support is helping to bring to life the Coastal Life Stories exhibition, which will showcase the inspiring and diverse stories of people who live and work along Dorset’s beautiful coastline.
We received a fantastic response and are thrilled to announce we have 18 amazing Coastal Champions who will feature in the exhibition. Over the coming weeks, our team will be meeting with each champion to capture their stories and portraits, which will form the travelling photographic exhibition planned later this year.
Stay tuned for updates and get ready to be inspired by the lives shaped by our coast!
In May, Dorset Coast Forum facilitated a workshop for Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site stakeholders, to gather their views about the future of the Site. Over sixty people attended and work in groups to discuss six key themes – Coastal Management, Tourism, Fossil Collecting, Community Engagement, Fossil Collections Management, and Education. The atmosphere was positive and constructive, and a wealth of ideas and insights were collected by the facilitators.
A particularly positive aspect of the day was that attendees represented a true cross-section of the various interests along the World Heritage Site, from Landowners and Museums, to tourism experts, fossil collectors, academics, parish councillors and staff from the national teams of Natural England and Historic England. Dorset Council, Devon County Council and the World Heritage Site Principal Officer are in the process of compiling the notes gathered at the workshop and will be sharing their findings soon. This was just the first step in planning for a new model of management for the Jurassic Coast.
We’re excited to welcome Matthew Smith, who joined the DCF team at the end of March. With a BSc in Geography and an MSc in Glaciology, Matt brings a strong academic foundation and over 13 years of experience in the field studies sector, primarily across Dorset and the Southwest. Matt’s deep knowledge and enthusiasm for the natural environment make him a valuable addition to the team. Outside of work, he’s an avid rock climber and trail runner—pursuits that reflect his adventurous spirit and passion for the outdoors.
Residents Invited to Help Shape New Cliff Management Guide
Dorset Coast Forum and South West Flood and Coastal* are launching a series of engagement drop-in events to help produce a Cliff Management guide for the BCP Council area – a new resource designed to support residents living near the area’s iconic cliffs.
The Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole coastline boasts some of the most beautiful and dynamic cliff landscapes in the UK. Effective management is crucial to ensure safety and environmental sustainability.
The new guide will raise awareness about cliff erosion and provide practical advice and other essential information for landowners, homeowners, businesses, or residents who manage privately owned cliffs.
To help produce the new cliff management guide, Dorset Coast Forum are hosting a number of engagement events to listen and understand comments, views and questions. We’d like to hear about how cliff erosion impacts people who live and work on the coast.
Engagement will run during June and July with the results fed back to the South West Flood and Coastal team (hosted by BCP Council).
Cllr Andy Hadley Portfolio Holder for Climate Response, Environment and Energy, at BCP Council said:
“The sea cliffs across the BCP area are a striking feature of our beautiful coastline and many of them are Sites of Special Scientific Interest. As well as managing erosion from the sea we are also aiming to provide a single, consistent and integrated approach to managing our cliffs. Producing a new Cliff Management Guide is part of this work and we invite people to come and talk to us in our forthcoming face to face events.”
Elaine Snow, Project Officer for the Dorset Coast Forum, said:
“We want to connect with people across BCP who live on or near the cliffs to understand their awareness of the environment around them. For example, do they know who to contact when they spot cliff erosion? By taking part in this engagement, residents will help us gain valuable insights into community knowledge, allowing us to shape this guide to better serve those living near the cliffs.”
Engagement activities will take place throughout June, including, drop-in events on:
11 June – Cliffhanger Car Park, Highcliffe from 11.00am to 3.00pm
24 June – Pier View Room, Boscombe from 2.30 to 6.30pm
25 June – Branksome Dene Room, Branksome from 12.30 to 4.30pm
There will also be an online event on Monday 30 June 6.00 to 7.00pm. Information on how to register will be shared on the project webpage.
Can’t attend in person? Share your thoughts via an online survey
Dorset Coast Forum, Swanage Town Council and Dorset Council are inviting residents, visitors, and local businesses to share their views on fresh proposals for the Swanage Green Seafront.
Building on feedback from the 2023 consultation, this engagement round introduces a new option for the Green Seafront, alongside four potential highways options for Shore Road from Dorset Council. In this unique engagement, the community have the opportunity to have a say on two major projects on the Seafront, something never before seen in Swanage.
Engagement activities will take place throughout May and June, including:
A pop-up at the Swanage Market (8.00am – 11.00am) and outside Co-op on 30th May (12.30pm – 2.30pm).
Drop-in events on 3rd June at the Focus Centre from 10.00am – 2.00pm and 4th June at The Mowlem, 3.30pm – 7.30pm.
