Since launching its Visitor Gift Scheme in 2006, The New Forest Trust, the Fundraising Charity for the New Forest, has raised over £50K for local conservation.
The Trust supports activities and organisations who strive to conserve the flora, fauna and commoning practices of the New Forest. The Trust aims to raise money which helps in practical ways such as improving the public understanding of the essential relationship between conservation and the unique livestock, woodland and open forest husbandry methods employed by the people who live and work in The New Forest.
Hotels and businesses in the New Forest support the Trust by collecting donations from their guests and passing them on to the Trust. The Trust then grants the money raised to local organisations. Grants awarded have helped fund reflective collars for New Forest ponies, specialist bat boxes for some of the rarest species of bats in the UK, a dipping pond for water life studies at the Ferny Crofts Scout Activity Centre and provided ongoing support for the Beaulieu Road Sale Yard.
Richard Manley, Chairman of the New Forest Trust said “We are very pleased to have been able to help so many local organisations. I would like to thank each and every one of the businesses and individuals who have supported us – with their continued help we are looking forward to funding many more projects to secure the future of the Forest”