131 - New Forest : Summary and Headline Statements of Environmental Opportunity

Summary

This National Character Area (NCA), 75 per cent of which is the New Forest National Park, also includes the lower Hampshire Avon Valley, defining its western boundary, and, to the east, the urbanised ‘Waterside’ from Totton to Fawley, with major oil-, energy- and port-related industry alongside Southampton Water. Physically it is a plateau, averaging around 80-100 m above sea level, of Palaeogenic deposits, which are exposed along the coast as internationally recognised fossil fauna, and overlain by Quaternary gravels in river terraces which retain evidence of prehistoric settlement. The gravels produce the acid soils which support the habitats and species designated under Natura 2000; it is one of the most important and extensive habitats of this type in lowland Europe. This has been retained, largely undisturbed by agriculture, because of its designation as a medieval royal hunting forest, the survival of grazing as part of a pastoral tradition, ancient Forest Law and more recent conservation policies. Along its Solent shore, the soft geology forms low cliffs and extensive marine deposition features – spits, salt marshes and mudflats – which are also designated under Natura 2000. The Avon Valley, also a Natura 2000 site, is distinctly different – a wide, flat valley bottom of mostly derelict watermeadows, and pasture and arable land, and a braided river, but linked with the Forest through grazing tradition.

In addition to the ‘Waterside’ there are major settlements at Ringwood, Fordingbridge and Lymington around the edge of the National Park, and large villages within it, notably Beaulieu, Brockenhurst, Burley, Lyndhurst and Sway. In the south-east the ancient Borough town of Christchurch (in Dorset) has spread to the east, over the Avon, extending in a large area of suburban housing along the coast to New Milton.

The core of the NCA is an area of contrasts; open heath, woodland and unenclosed wood pasture, characterised by ancient oak and beech, with New Forest ponies, cattle and pigs roaming free, areas of enclosed pasture in historic field patterns with commoners’ farmsteads and small settlements. Together they evoke a special sense of place. The majority of this area is open access and has long been a popular destination for holidays and outdoor recreation, principally walking, horse riding, cycling, camping and caravanning, and it also has a long tradition of wildlife study and collecting. The coast has more limited access but the Solent Way, shingle beaches and marshes are also a popular destination, with sailing centres at Beaulieu, Lymington, Mudeford and Keyhaven. This core area was designated as a National Park in 2005.

Since it lies between two major areas of planned economic growth, the effects of new development have impacted heavily, particularly since the 1970s. Combined with trends, such as the popularity of rural lifestyles and increases in demand for outdoor recreation and tourism, the landscape is under intense pressure. Together with changing farming economics, this has affected the viability of commoning which is essential for retaining critical landscapes.

Headline Statements of Environmental Opportunity (SEO)

See the Statements of Environmental Opportunity section for more details on the headlines listed below.

SEO 1

Ensure that the internationally designated landscapes, habitats and species of the ancient woodland, wood pasture, inclosures, heaths and mires, forming the open access core of the National Park are maintained and enhanced, enabling them to support and benefit from the continuation of traditional commoners’ grazing. This will help to retain the cultural and historic features of this landscape, and maintain multiple ecosystem service benefits, particularly biodiversity, water regulation, carbon sequestration, sense of place and tranquillity, and recreation.

SEO 2

Conserve and improve local distinctiveness in the traditional commoners’ smallholdings, enclosed pastures, farmsteads, hamlets and settlements on the Forest fringe. These have strong functional and habitat links with the heaths, woodlands and wood pastures, and reflect the historic social, cultural and pastoral economic traditions of the landscape. Retention of these links is essential to maintain habitats, support continued commoning and retain a key element of the visitor experience.

SEO 3

Promote the extent of open access, the high-quality semi-natural environment and the strong sense of human history as a special landscape for recreation and tourism, and for the enhancement of health and wellbeing. Use opportunities to raise visitor awareness of these qualities, their sensitivities and management requirements, and the economic and social benefits of the visitor economy.

SEO 4

Ensure that the features of the Solent and Southampton Water coast, particularly the internationally designated mudflats, saline lagoons, salt meadows and geo-archaeological features, are retained, while enabling the operation of natural coastal processes and anticipating the effects of climate change. This will benefit flood risk alleviation and recreational use, control coastal erosion and provide opportunities for habitat creation.

SEO 5

Support and develop the ‘catchment project’ across the internationally recognised aquatic environments of the New Forest, Hampshire Avon and Blackwater drainage systems. The aim will be to achieve co-ordinated and multiple benefits for habitats and species, recreational use, water and carbon retention and water quality, climate change resilience, flood regulation and flood alleviation while reducing soil erosion and agricultural run-off.