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New Forest Water Code leaflet

Summary

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New Forest Water Code promotes responsible behaviour to protect the New Forest’s freshwater and coastal habitats, developed by Freshwater Habitats Trust and the New Forest Catchment Partnership with local organisations and communities. The New Forest includes rivers, streams, lakes, hundreds of ponds, bogs, and internationally important coastal areas that are ancient, fragile, and rich in rare wildlife. It supports about 30% of England’s threatened freshwater species, over 30% of the UK’s freshwater invertebrates, around 65% of the UK’s wetland plants, and 75% of north-west Europe’s lowland bogs and valley mires. The code asks visitors to prevent pollution and disturbance by using toilets and bins, disposing of washing and toilet waste properly, keeping dogs under control and out of ponds, staying on tracks, parking only in car parks, camping only at permitted sites, and doing water activities only where allowed.
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Freshwater Habitats Trust

Be part of the solution follow the New Forest Water code:

Love it,

look after it,

or

lose it

Working Together

Freshwater Habitats Trust and the New Forest Catchment Partnership are working alongside organisations, communities, businesses, landowners and visitors to protect, manage and enhance the unique freshwater and coastal habitats and species found in the New Forest.

New Forest Water Code

Protecting the special freshwater wildlife of the New Forest

The New Forest covers over 300 square kilometres of protected landscape, forestry, farmland, parkland and urban environments. It includes over a dozen individual rivers, streams and their tributaries flowing south, east and west to The Solent and Southampton Water and Hampshire Avon; some notable lakes (greater than 2ha in size); many hundreds of ponds (less than 2ha in size), and a continuous band of coastal and estuarine habitats.

On the Open Forest the exceptionally high quality of the headwater streams and ponds is reflected in the number of species they support and their importance for nature conservation. The coast is internationally important for some of the world’s fastest declining species.

Conserving these habitats brings about its own set of challenges, but also huge opportunities for delivering real biodiversity gains which cannot be achieved elsewhere in a heavily modified and intensively managed lowland England.

The New Forest is one of the best and most Important Freshwater Areas and coastal landscapes in the UK.

To find out more visit
www.freshwaterhabitats.org.uk

Clean water ponds

New Forest bogs

Freshwater lakes

Cotton-grass

New Forest stream

Careless behaviour is putting the special wildlife of these unique wetlands at risk.

Pillwort amongst bog pondweed

The New Forest’s rivers,

ponds, lakes, bogs and

coastal saltmarshes are

  • ancient
  • fragile
  • pristine

and bursting with rare plants and animals which are only found in this remarkable landscape.

The New Forest supports:

30%

of England’s threatened freshwater species

The New Forest supports:

over

30%

of the UKs freshwater invertebrate species (approx 400 species)

Space for Nature

Special wetland birds and the free roaming livestock of the New Forest are particularly vulnerable to disturbance by people and their dogs.

  • Be part of the conservation of the New Forest’s wetlands and the wildlife found here by thinking about your surroundings.

75% are found in the New Forest

Of all the

lowland bogs and

valley mires found in

North West Europe

PLAN AHEAD, CHECK WHAT FACILITIES ARE AVAILABLE PARK RESPONSIBLY, STAY AT A REGISTERED CAMPSITE AND KEEP YOU AND YOUR DOG TO THE PATH

The New Forest supports:

65%

of the UKs

wetland plants

(approx 300

species)

over

The New Forest Water Code

  • LEAVE NOTHING BEHIND AND TAKE NOTHING AWAY EXCEPT FOR A LOVE OF THE FOREST
  • USE LOCAL FACILITIES the countryside is not a public toilet or rubbish dump. Bag it bin it or take it home.
  • KEEP DOGS UNDER CONTROL and away from wetland wildlife and livestock - put dogs on a lead.
  • CHECK WHERE TO GO water sports including swimming, are not allowed everywhere – only enjoy these activities at permitted locations
  • CAMP ONLY AT PERMITTED SITES WITH SUITABLE FACILITIES wild camping and overnight parking is not permitted.
  • USE SUITABLE FACILITIES for the disposal of washing up water or toilet waste - never on to vegetation, into ditches or other waterbodies.
  • ACCESS THE FOREST IN A RESPONSIBLE WAY keep to the tracks, and away from fragile freshwaters, whether you are on foot, bicycle or riding.
  • KEEP YOUR DOGS OUT OF PONDS AND AWAY FROM THE WATER’S EDGE stick to the tracks to enjoy a wildlife friendly visit.
  • PARK ONLY IN CAR PARKS there are over 130 places to park in the New Forest. Verge parking is not permitted, leave these spaces for nature.

Curlew

Photogography: Curlew, WNF.

Clean Water for Wildlife

Freshwater and coastal wildlife in the New Forest is very sensitive to pollution.

  • Help protect valuable lakes, ponds, rivers and coastal areas by keeping the countryside clean.
  • Take advice about where you can go to enjoy water, without damaging nature.

Southern damselfly

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