Forestry Commission Chair Baroness Young of Old Scone visited the New Forest National Park to hear about the challenges and opportunities facing the protected landscape.
At the invitation of the New Forest National Park Authority (NPA) members, Baroness Young joined colleagues from the NPA and Forestry England at Blackwater near Lyndhurst.
She visited the giant sequoia trees along the Tall Trees Trail which were planted in the 1850s.
Baroness Young described the New Forest as ‘simply wonderful’ and shared that she had previously enjoyed spotting dragonflies in the New Forest.
She said: ‘The New Forest is a unique historic landscape of international importance and much loved by local people and beyond. The range of habitats is complex and supports not only a wide range of wildlife species but also resources and jobs for those who live and work in the Forest. Forestry England looks after around half of the National Park and works closely with the Park Authority and the traditional managers of the Forest to ensure the Forest and its people thrive.’
New Forest National Park Authority Chief Executive Alison Barnes said: ‘We were delighted that Baroness Young could join us at this important time in the New Forest’s history to hear how we are working together to plan a positive future as we develop the next National Park Partnership Plan. We and organisations with a responsibility for looking after the National Park will be asking communities and businesses to help us map out what we need to do over the next five years to ensure the Forest thrives into the next decade and beyond.’
Barbara, Baroness Young of Old Scone, has been a Member of the House of Lords since 1997 with special interests in the environment, woods and trees, agriculture, land use, planning, natural resources and climate change.
She has held a variety of environmental leadership roles including Chief Executive of RSPB, Chairman of English Nature, Chief Executive of the Environment Agency and Chair of the Woodland Trust.
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Photo: Baroness Young (third from right) with NFNPA and Forestry England staff at Blackwater, near Lyndhurst.