Lymington Smallholding
A smallholding in Lymington received funding to create wildlife corridors linking up habitats and allowing wildlife to move across the landscape far more easily. Over 400 metres of hedgerow have been planted, including over 2,500 native hedgerow plants and 24 native trees. Commoners Tony and Vanessa Hockley said:
Our grazing land lost its ancient hedgerow many decades ago, leaving isolated areas of woodland, scrub and ponds. The project has allowed us to create almost half a kilometre of new and mixed native hedgerows reconnecting these important habitats and helping toward net zero. The new planting will also slow the flow of water off this 30-acre area of flat grazing as it makes its way down to Passford Water and Lymington. Over time, this will be a win-win for nature and for our commoning, creating natural shelter for our New Forest ponies on a site that is very exposed to the prevailing winds and weather, and prone to flash flooding. This has been a brilliant opportunity to make a difference for the future.
