Scots pine and non-native maritime pine predominate in parts of the island, having grown up after the fires of the 1930s.
Birds
Coal tits, chaffinches and goldcrests inhabit the canopy, with treecreepers and nuthatches on the trunks.
To the north, there is a large heronry and, since 1996, little egrets have bred on Brownsea in increasing numbers.
The occasional sparrowhawk and kestrel nest in the older pines. Willow warblers and dunnock nest among the older growth on the heath.
Heathland insects
The open heath with its heather, gorse, wood sage, birds foot trefoil, heath milkwort, heath bedstraw and sheep sorrel attracts many insects including the small copper, common blue, silver studded blue and green hairstreak butterflies.
Lizards and beetles
Common lizards sun themselves and green tiger beetles can be seen hunting here on warm summer days.
The area of heath has been extended following concern about the decline and fragmentation of heathland elsewhere in Dorset.
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