With just under one week to go of the August Free Range Byelaw Watch here is a quick update of the outcome up to 15th August 2022. We have received 180 responses by 65 or so volunteers reporting multiple breaches of the byelaws. Some of the themes emerging include:
Off road cycling on the Open Forest is widespread even with reports of cycling at night!
Verge parking is common in particular locations
Litter – some of a really worrying nature – and dog faeces are everywhere. 100 instances of dog waste were recorded by one observer within 300 metres of one car park.
Other notable instances include fishing and swimming, a burnt out car and evidence of campfires, and a pony being hit to move it off the road
Full results will be available when we have had time to look at and assess the data after the end of the Watch, but in the meantime do keep an eye out for Byelaw Breaches until the end of the watch on 31st August.
We have a simple online form to use with details of the Byelaws causing the most concern. The form can be accessed and completed online using your smart phone, tablet or computer using this link:
BYELAWS WATCH FORM
The Static Byelaw Watch is ready to go at popular locations around the Forest on Bank Holiday Monday thanks to our volunteers – no doubt they would welcome back up if you are free!
To volunteer to help with this please contact:
secretary.fonf@gmail.com
The raw data from these surveys will only be accessible to Council Members of the Friends of the New Forest and will be compliant with GDPR requirements, and only appropriately anonymised and aggregated data and photos will be provided to the New Forest authorities and released to the public.
Thank you in advance for taking part in the Byelaw Watch 2022. Your participation is vitally important to inform the future protection of the New Forest.
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