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The New Forest is the smallest National Park in the UK |
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It is the second newest National Park, set up in March 2005 |
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A staggering 2,700 species of fungi grow in the New Forest |
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The New Forest is the only place in Britain where the wild gladiolus grows |
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The New Forest is the most densely-populated national park in the UK with 61 people per square kilometre (30 times more densely populated than Northumberland National Park) |
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The highest point is near Bramshaw at around 135m or 443 feet |
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The oldest tree is a common yew at Brockenhurst Church, which is believed to be 1,000 years old |
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The tallest tree is a 55 metres (178 feet) high Wellingtonia (giant sequoia) on the Rhinefield Drive, planted in 1852 |
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Fifty-six percent of the National Park is of national or international importance for nature conservation – a higher proportion than any other in England |
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The New Forest National Park has most of the valley mires in north-west Europe (75% or 90 out of 120 mires) |
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There are between 6,500 and 7,000 commoners’ animals grazing on the Open Forest at different times of the year |
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National Park receives an estimated 13.5 million day visits a year, of which 3 million are by holiday-makers and 10.5 million are by people travelling to and from home |
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There are around 300 ponds in the New Forest National Park |
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Fifteen million people live within a 90-minute drive of the New Forest |
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The Park has 26 miles of coastline including shingle beaches, spits, mudflats, saltmarshes and lagoons. These are home to a rich variety of creatures such as shore crabs, small fish and a host of different shells |
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Three settlements in the Park each have more than 3,000 residents: Brockenhurst, Lyndhurst, and Sway |
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More than 30,700 hectares of land in the New Forest is accessible for quiet recreation |
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The National Park boundary goes out into the sea - at low-tide it extends to the salt marshes along the coast at Pennington |
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There are 5,866km of streams and rivers |
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Five species of deer live in the New Forest: Red, Fallow, Roe, Sika and Muntjac |
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Three species of snake can be found: adder, grass snake and smooth snake |
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England’s nine National Parks cover 7% of the countryside |
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There are six common rights in the New Forest: common of pasture, mast, turbary, fuelwood (or estovers), marl and pasture of sheep. The rights to pasture, fuelwood and mast are still practised today |
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There are 1,093 hectares of National Nature Reserves within the New Forest National Park boundary |
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For 60 days in the autumn people practise the tradition of pannage (turning their pigs out onto the Forest). The pigs eat the acorns which are poisonous to the ponies |
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There are 214 ancient monuments and 634 listed buildings in the National Park |
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The New Forest National Park is one of around 1,000 national parks and 5,500 similarly protected areas worldwide that together cover 12% of the Earth’s surface (about one million square kilometres) |
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There are just over 100 miles of cycle routes in the New Forest |
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National Parks in England and Wales have two purposes: to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage; and to promote opportunities for understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities |
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The New Forest National Park covers 219 square miles (56,658 hectares) |
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The New Forest National Park is the eighth to be created in England |
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The National Park Authority employs approximately 70 members of staff and has 22 members - 12 are appointed by local, county and district councils, 10 by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, six represent ‘national’ interests and four are representatives of the Parishes within the National Park. |
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The New Forest National Park is made up of farmland (24.74%), woodland (39.2%), Open Forest (34.5%) and the coast (1.56%) |
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It is estimated that visitors generate £120million spending a year and support more than 2,500 jobs |
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Nearly 67% (38,000 hectares) of the National Park is covered by the ‘perambulation’ boundary. This is the area in which commoners’ livestock can roam free |
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Less than half of the National Park is tree-covered – just over 22,300 hectares in total. Ancient semi-natural woodland covers nearly 10,000 hectares including the greatest concentration of ‘veteran’ trees in Western Europe |
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National Parks cover 5,500 square miles of land in England and Wales and 398 miles of coastline. |
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There are 235km of public footpaths and 57km of public bridleways in the New Forest National Park |
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Approximately 34,000 people live within the New Forest National Park boundary |
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Sites of Special Scientific Interest cover 32,103 hectares |
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The National Park is home to the only cicada found in the UK: it is called the New Forest Cicada and is found in the pasture woodlands. |
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The New Forest is home to the largest population of Dartford Warblers in Britain |
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Thirteen of the 17 native species of bats in Britain have been recorded in the New Forest |
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In the last few years two new species of mammal have been reported in the New Forest: the polecat and the pine marten |
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The National Park is rich in invertebrates: 55% of butterflies and moths, 46% of beetles, 74% of dragonflies and damselflies and 67% of grasshoppers and crickets that are found in Britain live in the New Forest. |
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The heathlands of the New Forest, often referred to as the Open Forest, cover approximately 18,000 hectares |
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The New Forest produces around 50,000 tonnes of timber, equivalent to over 2,000 lorry-loads, each year. |
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The New Forest has 100 woodland inclosures covering an area of 8,500 hectares |
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There are 134 car parks on the Crown lands of the New Forest which are managed by the Forestry Commission |
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During World War II, areas of the Forest were ploughed and sown with much-needed crops |
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The New Forest Verderers' Court is the last remnant of the old form of Forest government that used to be found in many parts of the country. The Verderers regulate commoning in the Forest |
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The earliest record of horses in the New Forest dates back to 1016. New Forest ponies may be any colour except piebald, skewbald, spotted or blue-eyed cream. |
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During the winter months the New Forest produces around 1,000 tonnes of quality hardwoods, mainly oak |
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The New Forest is home to the second oldest conservation organisation in the world – the New Forest Association, founded in 1867 |
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There are 870 miles of road in the New Forest National Park |
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Heather is the most common plant in the New Forest: four different types can be found in the National Park |
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Three species of gorse grow in the New Forest National Park |
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More than 70,000 new trees are planted in the New Forest every year |
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Over 500,000 camper nights are recorded every year in the 10 campsites on the Crown lands |
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The New Forest National Park is the best place in England to find rare bog orchids. |
