Re:New Nature

Nature is in crisis and only by urgently combining our expertise and resources can we achieve the vital large-scale revival of the natural world – not just in the New Forest itself but in the wider region and beyond too.

The Re:New Nature part of our Partnership Plan is focused on nature recovery, and highlights the urgent need for action to make sure the National Park’s habitats are more resilient, better managed for wildlife, bigger and more joined up.

Together with Forest partners, we’re calling on people to work together to drive nature recovery in the New Forest and wider area.

The Re:New Nature Challenge looks at opportunities and resources to put nature front and centre in the New Forest National Park, which is a globally-important site for wildlife.

Mike Clarke, former CEO (now Vice President) of the RSPB and Life Member of Friends of the New Forest, said: ‘The New Forest is one of the most rich and important places for nature in the UK, and we take it for granted.

‘The National Park can be seen as an ark for nature in southern England and has a massive role in being able to enrich a large part of the region. It has around 20,000 animal and plant species – around a third of all those in the UK – in just 300 square kilometres.

‘The natural landscape has survived since the last Ice Age, thanks to the traditional commoning system and the enduring partnership between humans and animals. It can still survive but we have to work together to make an impact collectively.’

Read more in the Re:New Nature Challenge document

Look at the Re:New Nature map

Read the launch press release: Call to build a Nature Partnership in the New Forest and beyond – New Forest National Park Authority (newforestnpa.gov.uk)

Show your interest

• Email communications@newforestnpa.gov.uk
• Call 01590 646600

Alison Barnes, CEO of the New Forest National Park Authority said: ‘There’s a huge amount of great work already being done to Re:New Nature in the New Forest, including improving wetlands and freshwater habitats, restoring heathlands and delivering grants and advice to farmers and landowners.

‘The idea of the Re:New Nature Challenge is to ask people to redouble their efforts to work together to achieve this in a more collaborative and co-ordinated way, aligning resources, harnessing each other’s work and, crucially, to attract funding into both the public and private sector to secure the New Forest for future generations.’

Andrew Parry Norton, chair of the Commoners Defence Association said: ‘We all share a love of the New Forest. We want the Forest to thrive, we want nature to thrive, and we want commoning to thrive. Once we’ve got that right, then everything around us will fall into place.’