The New Forest
The New Forest is situated in the deep south of England, between the urban areas of Southampton and Bournemouth and bounded by the Solent.
One of the most striking features of the Forest is the open expanse of semi-natural vegetation at its heart. Here an ancient lowland landscape of heathland, bogs, woodlands and streams, is still maintained through the grazing of thousands of New Forest ponies and cattle, owned by commoners. The system of land ownership and commoning was formalised in the 11th century when the New Forest or ‘Nova Foresta’ was established as a royal Forest under Forest law. The ancient pastoral economy still practised today, has resulted in the development of some of the richest and most extensive wildlife habitats in Europe. Today, much of the ‘Open Forest’ is owned and cared for by the Forestry Commission, working in conjunction with a wide range of other statutory bodies and interest groups.
But the Open Forest is only part of the story: the towns, villages and farmland that surround it have always been intrinsically linked with the core area. The New Forest’s economic and cultural history can be traced amongst the more fertile farmlands, the coastline and the major rivers, where trade and industry, and shipbuilding, have until modern times been linked with the meat, timber, pottery and other products of the Open Forest.
Today tourism is a major part of the local economy and every year approximately 22 million visits are made to the area. Many people come on a regular basis to enjoy the freedom and tranquillity of the Open forest and “to see the ponies”…. There is also a network of small and attractive towns and villages, which are home to the 60,000 people who live within the Forest.
The New Forest faces many challenges if its special character is not to be eroded by the modern day pressures of people, housing, industry and traffic.
Visit New Forest National Park