Blog Archives
Educating local and inner city children
Our funding is helping over 3,300 children from local and inner city schools learn about the culture and heritage of the New Forest, become more aware of the importance of conservation and gain new skills.
Attending the education programme at the New Forest Heritage Centre the children take part in interactive sessions including outdoor group work, visits to the Verderers Court and opportunities to explore Museum handling collections.
Creating a Community Woodland
We provided a grant to a local charity – Pondhead Conservation Trust to help to establish a community woodland at Pondhead Inclosure (outskirts of Lyndhurst).
The area is has not been grazed by ponies or cattle for centuries and therefore has a range of flora found in few other parts of the Forest.
Establishing the community woodland has improved the coppice management of the hazel, allowing more light into the wood. This helps the growth of ground flora such as violets and bugle which are the food plant for the rare Pearl- bordered Fritillary found at Pondhead.
The coppiced hazel is used to produce charcoal which can be purchased locally:
www.pondheadconservation.org.uk/products-courses/charcoal
A-Z of Commoning and the New Forest
We produce and distribute thousands of copies of our A-Z guide of to help people learn more about the commoning animals, New Forest way of life and the rules of the area to help keep everybody safe.
If you would like a paper copy of our A-Z or think you can help stock or distribute it then please contact us
Click the letters below to learn more about the New Forest.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
Eradicating Himalayan Balsam
Working with the New Forest Land Advice Service, our funding helped direct conservation action to eradicate Himalayan Balsam from the River Blackwater which runs for approximately 25km in the north of the New Forest.
Himalayan Balsam is a non-native plant which easily dominates river banks, leading to a loss of native species which are unable to compete.
Its shallow roots also result in localised erosion of the river banks leading to sedimentation of gravels which affect fish spawning, decreasing the number of freshwater invertebrates.
Removing Giant Hogweed
Funding was given to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust to provide herbicide treatment to remove Giant Hogweed along the Avon Water downstream of Sway.
Giant Hogweed, an introduced species from Southern Russia threatens our native wildlife, reduces access and presents a serious risk to human health.
Growing to a height of five metres, it contains a toxic sap which reacts with skin, causing ‘burning’ blisters and purple blotches. The burns can last for several months and even once they have died down skin can remain sensitive to light for many years afterwards.
