How to walk your dog at a Nature Reserve
From 1st June, at the Diamond and Harmony Woods, all dogs must be walked on the lead throughout the site.
1st June - You Lead the Way
Why Your Dog's Lead Could Save a Nest!
At Andover Trees United, we welcome dogs and their owners. We know that walking your dog is one of life’s simple pleasures - fresh air, green space, wagging tails.
But as spring turns to summer, something vital is happening in the wild spaces around us. Birds are nesting. Mammals are raising young. Flowers and fungi are emerging…
And without knowing it, our dogs, even the calm, friendly, on-lead ones can disrupt it all. That’s why, from June 1st, we're asking everyone to keep their dogs on a lead across the whole site at Diamond and Harmony Woods. Not because we want
to limit freedom, but because we want to protect the freedom of nature to thrive.
Here’s why it matters.
FOR WILDLIFE Your Dog’s Scent = Predator Alert
You might not see it, but wildlife does. Birds, foxes, and small mammals detect the scent of dogs long after they've passed through. To a nesting skylark or a hidden leveret (a baby hare), that smell means danger. It triggers a flight response, and in many cases, they abandon nests, young, or feeding grounds altogether.
Even when your dog is perfectly behaved, the fear response is real. It’s hardwired into the survival of wild animals.
Soil and Plants Feel It Too
Dog urine contains nitrogen, which in high amounts can burn wildflowers, damage tree roots, and change the natural soil balance. Dog faeces, when left behind (or bagged but not taken away), introduces bacteria and chemicals that upset the fragile soil ecosystem.
Certain wildflowers, like orchids or bluebells, only grow in nutrient-poor soils, and when those nutrients are artificially altered by dog waste, those species disappear.
A Chain Reaction You Can’t See
Every nest abandoned, every plant stunted, every insect pushed out causes a ripple effect through the food web. The cumulative impact? Less food for bats, fewer pollinators for flowers, more strain on hedgehogs and birds that are already in decline.
It’s not just “one dog” or “one walk” - it’s thousands over a season and each one matters.
In 2024, our intern Katie Sell recorded wildlife surveys which formed the ‘Nature in Harmony’ report shown below.
Katie’s findings about the impacts of dogs on wildlife are significant.
Click here to download the report section on ‘Dogs - Nature in Harmony’.
But It’s Not Just the Dogs...
We humans are part of this picture too. When we leave the path to follow our dogs, we step on delicate plant life and disturb nesting zones. When we leave waste bags behind, even with the best intentions, we introduce litter into an otherwise healthy space.
That’s why this is about behaviour, not blame.
So What’s the New Rule?
From June 1st, we ask all visitors to:
Keep all dogs on a lead across the entire Diamond Wood site.
Stick to marked paths, especially in meadows and woodland edges.
Pick up all poo - and take it with you or use a proper bin.
Help spread the word to other dog owners and nature lovers.
This small change helps create a safe window for nesting, breeding, and natural growth - without cutting anyone off from enjoying the space.
You Can Still Enjoy the Wild
This isn’t about keeping dogs out. It’s about keeping nature in. We invite you to walk, sit, explore, and breathe in the beauty of the site, with your dog safely at your side. Bring a lead, bring a bag, bring your respect for the land, and know that you’re part of something bigger.
Together, we’re not just walking dogs.
We’re protecting a living landscape.
Let’s lead the way.
Nature in Harmony - project wildlife surveys undertaken throughout 2024 in the Diamond Wood and Harmony Woods, Andover, Hampshire, by Intern Katie Sell.
Want to help?
Share this blog, follow our campaign on social media, or volunteer with us to protect habitats year-round.