A new community project from Turn Lyme Green is aiming to strengthen local food security while boosting biodiversity across West Dorset.
Dorset Seed Savers will bring together gardeners, allotment holders and food growers to create a local network dedicated to growing, saving and sharing seeds from edible plants.
Using organically grown UK-produced starter seeds, participants will learn how to cultivate crops without chemical inputs, instead focusing on natural soil improvement, drought management and environmentally friendly growing techniques.
The project is designed to be accessible to anyone with a garden, allotment or even a small growing space.
Participants will be invited to choose one or more edible plants to grow, then learn how to harvest and save the seeds at the end of the season.
Workshops and seasonal gatherings will guide people through the process, helping to build confidence while preserving locally adapted varieties that can thrive in Dorset conditions.
Once the seeds have been collected, growers will come together to prepare and swap them, giving everyone access to a wider range of hardy, home-grown varieties.
Beyond food production, Dorset Seed Savers also hopes to highlight concerns about the declining diversity of seed varieties being grown and the loss of habitat for bees and other pollinating insects.
Working alongside Turn Lyme Green’s Bee Friendly Lyme Regis initiative, participants will be encouraged to create pollinator-friendly spaces in their gardens.
Any surplus seed collected through the scheme will help support community initiatives including Turn Lyme Green’s popular Seed Saturday event and the Bridport Seed Library, ensuring that locally grown seed remains available across the area.
A spokesperson from Turn Lyme Green said: “By harvest 2027, we aim to share the many different types and varieties of seed, both edible plants and pollinating flowers, with our participants.
“By holding talks and conversations over the coming year, we hope to raise awareness of community resilience and the importance of local food security.”