Poole Harbour has long been recognised for being of high biological importance and is one of the largest examples of an estuary with lagoonal character in Britain.
The Harbour is mostly shallow and has a large proportion of intertidal saltmarshes and mudflats. These give way to freshwater marshes, reed beds and wet grasslands on low, poorly drained land above the tidal level, and also transitions to heathland on higher sandy ground and heathland mires in small tributary valleys.
The wetland habitatsfringing the harboursupport large numbers of wintering, migrating and breeding birds, along with many rare and endangered plants and invertebrates. The Harbour bed is important for marine invertebrates, such as sponges, tube worms, sea squirts and sea mats, some of which are rare around the British coast. Areas of heathland support more rare birds, invertebrates and reptiles, while pine woodlandon some of the Harbour's islands are of national importance for some of England's last populations of red squirrels.
This range of eusturine, wetland and heathland habitats, the rare animals and plants they support, together with the large number and variety of birds, means that Poole Harbour is recognised both nationally and internationally as important and the area holds a number of statutory designations which serve to protect the wildlife and flora. It s a site of Special Scientific Interest, a Special Protected Area and Special Area of Conservation. Some prts of the Habour have been declared Local andNational Nature Reserves. Also, it lies within the Purbeck Heritage Coast.
The south side of the Harbour is designated a Quiet Area with a speed limit of six knots.
Please treat the Harbour with care and consideration!!! read more