Portland Nature Community Interest Company (CIC) was established in 2020 to promote the conservation of habitats and species on the island through practical management and raising awareness.
We will work with other conservation and community groups on the island to highlight the importance of Portland’s unique biodiversity and landscapes.
Portland Nature CIC funding generally relies on Section 106 payments made by Developers to fulfil their obligations to provide Environmental Enhancement as part of a condition attached to a specific Planning Application approval.
Portland Nature CIC Directors volunteer their time and as such receive no renumeration. Currently there are four Directors, who bring a wide range of experience in wildlife land management, either having worked or currently working in this field.
As part of our wider involvement the CIC was asked to help the Court Leet, a major land manager on Portland, with habitat management works at Culverwell (a SSSI). We advised and drew up a specification for the work for them and arranged a Contractor to carry out the work, including drawing up a simple contract. The work was completed over the winter of 2023/24.
In early 2023, Portland Nature CIC signed a Licence that has given it tenure for 30 years and a Contract setting out its management responsibilities for Bumpers Lane. Funding for the work comes from money paid by the Developer under a Section 106 Agreement with Dorset Council. The Management of the site is guided by an independently prepared Management Plan drawn up as a requirement of the original Planning Application for Bumpers Lane.
The CIC has started engaging with the residents of the new Bumpers Lane Housing Estate, many of whom are keen to get involved with the wildlife site. This has resulted in some of them helping with the seeding work and volunteer tasks.
We have also commissioned this website and had an information board designed and installed, explaining the importance of Bumpers Lane for wildlife.
