Volunteers have ensured it's the fort that counts as they uncover rare species in Dorset's ancient landscape.

Volunteer rangers have spent the past few months scanning the area's hillforts to unearth an array of wildlife and rare archaeological finds.

Sites investigated included Eggardon Hill, Pilsdon Pen, and Lambert's and Coney's Castle, Hamble Hill, Hod Hill and Badbury Rings. Glow worms, butterflies, rare bugs and birds were among the species identified.

It is the first time in several years that this rare chalk grassland habitat has been so closely monitored, with the 43 National Trust volunteers – known as ‘Hillfort Heroes’ - recording species to help plan how the land can be managed in future.

This year’s hillforts' work across the region has been made possible thanks to a generous award made to the National Trust by Postcode Earth Trust, raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, and a further award from the South Dorset Leader Action group.

National Trust Ranger Clive Whitbourn said: “Over the past few months our volunteers, have been helping record some of the key species that make chalk grasslands so special

“Chalk grassland is an amazing habitat, densely populated with plant species which support a wealth of bugs, birds and other creatures like the chalkhill blue butterfly, Great green bush cricket as well as glow-worms which are pretty rare.

“Glow worms are so fragile and so susceptible to the smallest changes in the climate, or their habitat, that they really are the barometer as to the health of our landscapes.

“Species monitoring is therefore massively important because we will be immediately alerted to any changes in numbers, enabling us to investigate whether these changes might be down to weather conditions or even pests or diseases.”

The trust has also introduced conservation grazing in some areas where the livestock’s main role is to control the spread of more aggressive plant species and to prevent scrub building up.

As a result, better conditions are created for fine grasses and wildflowers to thrive including devils bit scabious, knapweed and autumn lady’s tresses.

Using cattle is a more sensitive approach because it gradually removes plant material than cutting and burning the scrub using machinery.