Abi

Meet New Forest Youth Board member Abi from Marchwood .

Favourite thing about / place in the New Forest? 

One of my favourite places in the Forest is probably the Deerleap inclosure. The landscape is very varied with both bog, heathland and forest so you can see a diversity of wildlife from frogs to crossbills! 

What are your areas of interest and passion? 

I am most passionate about preserving the ecology of the Forest and improving how people interact and experience it so both nature and recreation as supported. So many groups are involved in the Forest so working together is vital and I enjoy facilitating those interactions. 

What skills do you have that could benefit the Youth Board? 

I am an Ecologist and a Biology student so I have plenty of scientific skills, but I’m also a confident public speaker and have much experience working with a range of people from teaching young children about nature to advising older generations how volunteering can improve your health. 

What do you want to get from being a New Forest Youth Board member? What skills and knowledge would you like to develop? 

I joined the Youth Board to meet like-minded people and interact with the local community that support the New Forest. This has allowed me to make my voice heard and raise the queries of other young people. I’ve got to know so many highly knowledgeable and skilled people so far and I genuinely feel like I can make a difference.