Brownsea Island the island received 133,340 visitors. The island's name comes from Anglo-Saxon "Brūnoces īeg" = "Brūnoc's island". Brownsea Island lies in Poole Harbour opposite the town of Poole in Dorset, England. It is the largest of eight islands in the harbour. The island can be reached by one of the public ferries or by private boat. There is a wharf and a small dock near the main castle. The island is long and wide and consists of of woodland (pine and oak), heathland and salt-marsh. The entire island, except the church and a few other buildings which are leased or managed
Brownsea Island In the past invasive species such as rhododendrons, also non-native, were introduced to the island, but the trusts have cleared many areas. The entire island is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The island is one of the few places in southern England where indigenous red squirrels survive, largely because non-native grey squirrels have never been introduced to the island. The Brownsea red squirrel population is the only population known in the UK to carry the human form of the bacteria stem "Mycobacterium leprae" that causes leprosy in humans. Brownsea also has a small ornamental population of peacocks. The