The New Forest

The New Forest is one of the most important ecological areas in Britain, its value having recently been officially recognised by its designation as Britain’s newest National Park. It comprises a vast area of rolling heathland, mixed forest and damp boggy hollows, covering some 144 square miles of south-west Hampshire and south-east Dorset. ‘The Forest’, as it is known locally, is still managed under a pastoral system, incorporating ancient grazing rights and periodic controlled burnings of the heathland. Indeed, it is this age old form of management that has both created and conserved the New Forest’s unique ecological richness and diversity. Over the past 150 years Britain has lost almost 80% of its lowland heathland and today the New Forest holds the largest and most important area remaining in the country. As a result it contains a huge variety of rare species of plants and animals. Amongst the insects, dragonflies, moths and butterflies are particularly well represented whilst five of the six British reptiles occur here, including the rare Smooth Snake and Sand Lizard. Roe, Fallow, Red and Sika Deer all graze the woodland edges and in terms of birds, the New Forest holds an unparalleled range of scarce breeders. These include over half of the total British population of Dartford Warblers (around 500 pairs), plus Woodlarks, Wood Warbler, Crossbills, Nightjars and raptors such as Hobby, Goshawk and Honey Buzzard. There is also a rich variety of plants, especially in the damper areas of heathland.