PRINCE Charles is visiting the county town today to mark the 30th anniversary of a Dorset Wildlife Trust nature reserve.

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales will be attending celebrations at Kingcombe Meadow Nature Reserve this morning to mark three decades since the farm was adopted by the trust.

The 327 traditional farm in Toller Porcorum avoids modern agricultural practices and is grazed by cows and sheep without the use of pesticides and artificial fertilisers.

As the patron of The Wildlife Trusts, the Prince has contributed significantly to the reserve over the years including founding the Coronation Meadow project to mark the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s Coronation in 2013.

The project aimed to create a wildflower meadow in every British county to counteract the reported loss of 97 per cent of such meadows in the country since the Second World War.

His Royal Highness launched the project at his own Coronation Meadow at Highgrove and is patron of the three charities which run it - Plantlife, The Rare Breeds Survival Trust and The Wildlife Trusts.

The Prince previously visited Kingcombe Meadow in 1988 and donated money to fund the repair of fencing and gates, many of which still bear the Duchy of Cornwall crest.

The DWT is one of 47 trusts across the country which make up The Wildlife Trusts, which The Prince of Wales has been a patron of since 1977.

Established in 1961, the DWT is one of the largest in the country with 1,200 active volunteers, seven visitor centres and 44 nature reserves.