The New Forest is neither new nor strictly speaking a forest. In fact its name comes from the time when the area was first designated as a royal hunting ground in 1079. It derives from the Latin nova foresta, which literally translates as ‘new hunting ground’.
The nova foresta was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. William the Conqueror set aside the Forest for hunting more than 900 years ago and centuries of grazing by deer, ponies and cattle have shaped the landscape; William would probably still recognise much of the Forest today.
Its unique landscape of ancient woodland, heather-covered heath, wide lawns, boggy mires, gentle farmland, picturesque villages and coastal saltmarsh, lagoons and mudflats, is what makes the Forest famous. Geology, soils and human management have all contributed to the distinctive habitats and encompass some of the most unique protected landscapes in the south of Britain. The New Forest became a National Park in 2005 and this put it in the premier league of wildlife conservation and protection.
The New Forest is one of the last places in the south of England to offer a sense of wildness and tranquillity. It is the largest remaining area of lowland heath in Europe and gives the flavour of a landscape that was once much more extensive.
It is a wonderful area to explore on foot, by bike or on horseback. An estimated 13 million day visits are made to the New Forest National Park every year. It is especially rich in wildlife and you can enjoy a host of sights that make a visit special including ancient oaks, fungi and pigs in the autumn, deer, reptiles, birds of prey and, of course, the famous New Forest pony roaming free.
Each Forest pony is owned by someone called a ‘commoner’ and must be marked with an individual brand before being left to wander. A ‘commoner’ is so called because they practise ancient ‘common rights’ attached to the property where they live.
There are around 500 practicing commoners across the New Forest today turning out a total of around 7,000 livestock, which include ponies, donkeys, cattle, pigs and sheep. Without the constant grazing of these animals the beautiful landscape of the New Forest would not look like it does today. The livestock prevent the heathland from turning into heavy scrub and maintains its special character.
Probably Britain’s oldest court, the Verderers’ Court has its origins dating from Norman times. Set up to ensure that hunting remained the privilege of the King and his followers, it today administers the commoning system. The welfare of the ponies is, of course, the responsibility of the owning commoners, but a check is kept on this by the Agisters, five appointed agents of the court.
Just under half of the land area within the New Forest National Park boundary is owned by the Crown and managed by the Forestry Commission. A delicate balance is sought between the working forest (timber production), habitat and wildlife management alongside opportunities for recreation provision. The Forestry Commission provides and maintains over 100 miles of waymarked gravel cycle tracks across the Crown lands as well as waymarked trails from car parks to explore on foot.
The Forestry Commission’s ‘Events 2009’ programme provides activities for members of the public, which educate and increase awareness of the special nature of the New Forest and what they can do to help conserve it for future generations. The programme, led by the Forestry Commission’s team of rangers, provides an opportunity for everyone to learn in a fun, informative and interactive way.
To find out more about the New Forest National Park you could also visit the New Forest Centre in Lyndhurst, home to the New Forest Museum and Visitor Information Centre. Other information centres are in Lymington and Ringwood, and there are Local Information Points in Brockenhurst, Beaulieu and Burley.
The Forestry Commission also runs an information unit based at Bolderwood car park (seasonal) where rangers are on hand to answer your questions and tell you more about this special place.