More than 13 million day visits are made to the New Forest each year. That level of use brings responsibility. Recreation must respect the landscape, protect wildlife and commoners’ animals, and preserve the tranquillity that makes the Forest so special.
The New Forest is loved because it feels open, natural and free. But that freedom is fragile. Heavy recreational use, unmanaged access and growing pressure from nearby development are placing increasing strain on the very qualities people come here to enjoy.
Around 130 Forestry England car parks provide access to the Crown lands, with space for more than 4,000 cars. At peak times, the number of vehicles parked in the core of the Forest can be far higher. The Forest also supports campsites, visitor attractions, coastal access points and a wide range of organised activities and events.
Traditional outdoor activities such as walking, cycling and horse riding are part of the Forest’s life. When done responsibly, they help people connect with the landscape, wildlife, and heritage. But recreation can also cause harm.
Erosion is visible in some well-used areas, especially near streams, popular paths and other “honeypot” locations. Dogs can disturb wildlife or worry commoners’ stock. Cycling away from permitted tracks can damage fragile habitats. Verge parking, busy car parks, campsites and large events all add further pressure.
The New Forest Association believes recreation must be managed within the limits of what the Forest can sustain. The Forest should not be treated as a playground for unlimited activity. It is a living landscape, with rare habitats, grazing animals, working commoning traditions and places that still offer quietness and a sense of wilderness.
We support quiet recreation that respects the Forest’s special qualities. We support a strategic approach to managing recreation across the whole New Forest, including a proper review of car parks, campsites, events, cycling, horse riding and dog control. Where facilities are causing damage, their size, location or future use should be reconsidered.
We also believe more local outdoor recreation should be provided outside the New Forest, so pressure from nearby settlements is not continually pushed into the most sensitive areas. Country parks, green spaces and alternative facilities can help reduce the strain on the Forest.
We oppose new recreational development or activities that would further damage the Forest’s landscape, wildlife, tranquillity, or rural character, especially where such activities could take place in more suitable locations.
Where recreation and conservation come into conflict, the precautionary approach should apply. The Forest’s long-term health must come first.
The Forest cannot speak for itself. By using it with care and by managing recreation within sustainable limits, we can help protect the New Forest for those who live here, work here, visit and come after us.
Join us and help protect the New Forest from the pressures of unsustainable recreation.
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Photographs courtesy: Clive Chatters, Gale Pettifer, Steve Laycock, Mike Read, Brian Tarnoff, Peter Roberts, John Ward.