Welcome

The Poole Harbour Study Group was founded in 1997 by a group of individuals interested in the recording of wildlife and other biological and scientific aspects of Poole Harbour.

Poole Harbour Study Group

Poole Harbour’s position on the south coast of England, along with its unique combination of size and physical characteristics, provide for a diverse and productive ecological community. It is particularly recognized for internationally significant bird populations and as a haven for the naturalization of exotic species.

The harbour is also exceptional in the extent to which it represents in microcosm the world-wide tensions between environment and development: A harbour entrance of only 300m separates a highly conserved natural environment from an urban landscape where property compares with Manhattan and Hong Kong Island in the world-wide table of real estate values.

The harbour provides a port, a fishing ground, a tourist destination, a receiver of effluent and is used intensively as a water sports and recreational resource. It also lies above Europe’s largest on-shore oilfield.