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Maximising safe public access on Salisbury Plain Training Area

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Public Access, Salisbury Plain Training Area, Volunteering
Two men, one wearing a dark leather jacket and the other wearing a high-visibility jacket, examine a folded section of a map. Next to them, at head-height, is a sign which reads: ‘Permissive Byway / Open to all traffic / Subject to flag’

Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA) is the UK’s largest military training area, covering 11% of Wiltshire and a small part of Hampshire. Ensuring the fine balance between providing a place for our Armed Forces to train safely and maintaining public …

Leopards and more: monitoring rare wildlife in Brunei’s jungle training areas

A muntjac stands in the jungle looking towards the camera.

One interesting element of my job recently has been a study we’ve been working on in British Forces Brunei (BFB)’s jungle training areas to monitor whether training has any impact on the local wildlife. We’ve been working with the Brunei …

Staying safe and protecting wildlife on the Defence Training Estate

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Defence Training Estate (DTE), Environment and Ecology, Public safety
A pair of women in navy blue uniforms stood behind a table on a beach, with flags to their left and right reading 'Coast and Country Canines'. To their left are another pair of women in civilian attire.

As the Deputy Training Safety Officer for the South East Defence Training Estate, my job is to ensure that our Armed Forces have a safe place to train at numerous sites across the region. It’s a varied role that often …

Respect the Range: How to safely access MOD land this summer

A man in a camouflage military uniform speaking to a group of adults and children. They are stood next to a red and white 4x4 vehicle with 'Training Safety' written on its side.

A team from DIO recently attended the South Downs National Park Authority’s ‘Secrets of the Heath’ festival in Hampshire, to speak to festival-goers and promote safe public access to the Defence Training Estate (DTE). The event took place at Hogmoor …

A helping hand for reptiles and amphibians on the Defence estate

Posted by: and , Posted on: - Categories: Defence Estate, Environment and Ecology, Volunteering
An adder snake curled up in a section of leafy scrub

The Defence estate includes some of the UK’s most important wildlife sites and is unrivalled in terms of its size and the diversity of habitats and species it supports. Much of our estate is accessible to the public, and providing …

How is a rugby legend helping keep the public safe on MOD land?

Head and shoulders image of Mike Tindall, a white man with a short beard, smiling at the camera. He wears a military helmet and body armour over a dark jacket.

Last month DIO’s Corporate Communications team invited England Rugby legend and ‘I’m a Celeb’ contestant Mike Tindall to Salisbury Plain Training Area (SPTA) to help us promote our ‘Respect the Range’ public safety campaign. ‘Respect the Range’ is DIO’s biggest …

Celebrating the 2022 Sanctuary Awards

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Conservation, Defence Estate, Sustainability
A silver trophy consisting of an otter with a fish in its mouth, perched on top of a rectangular plinth into which is inscribed: 'Sanctuary Award Silver Otter'

Since 1991, the Sanctuary Awards have been recognising outstanding sustainability and conservation efforts across the MOD. The awards celebrate group and individual-led projects that are benefiting sustainable development and helping to conserve the environment, natural resources and heritage across Defence’s …

Yardley Chase Training Area: Northamptonshire’s hidden gem

Posted by: , Posted on: - Categories: Conservation, Defence Training Estate (DTE), Environment and Ecology
A large pond bordered by green, grassy verges with trees growing near their edges

Yardley Chase Training Area in Northamptonshire is one of our lesser-known training areas, yet it’s truly a hidden gem. The site was recently showcased for its wildlife value in the nationally acclaimed British Wildlife magazine, thanks to the committed efforts …