Issue No: 2 Spring / Summer 2017 FOREST MATTERS In the news 1 The first of our Anniversary events; critiquing the FC’s Forest Design Plan process; saving the Forest’s churchyard monuments; HLS AGM report; the Chief Verderer’s farewell. Opinion 9 Keith Howe on balancing recreation and conservation. The Forest’s coastal challenges 10 Clive Chatters examines the fine balance between competing demands along the coastline. What are common rights? 12 What are they and how did they arise? Graham Bathe attempts to separate fact from fiction. Eradicating non-native species 14 Catherine Chatters describes the efforts of volunteers to clear away unwanted invasive plant life. Woodgreen Community Shop 18 The story of how a community group built a new shop and Post Office as the old one was closing, told by chairman Ron Trevaskis. Book review 20 New Forest Walks: A seasonal wildlife guide, by Andrew Walmsley FOREST MATTERS is the magazine of the Friends of the New Forest. Issue 2: Letter from our Chairman Spring/Summer 2017 2017 – our Anniversary year – started with a flourish. The launch event to celebrate 150 years turned into a must-be-at New Forest occasion, Views expressed in starting with a keynote address from Clive Chatters. All seats were “sold Forest Matters are not out” for The New Forest: a foot in the past and an eye to the future well necessarily those of the before the day and we were passing on cancellations to a long waiting Friends of the New Forest. list. With responses to Clive’s presentation from Alison Barnes – Chief Executive to the National Park Authority, Bruce Rothnie – Deputy Surveyor, Dominic May – Official Verderer, as well as from a cross-section of the Please contact the editor 200 people in the audience, including Commoners, long-standing at [email protected] residents, recent incomers and many more, there was much thought- with any contributions for provoking debate. or comments concerning It was not an evening to solve all of the issues threatening or supporting this publication. the Forest’s future, but they were well examined. It remains to be seen whether the Forest is fated to continue down what some see as the present path of decline into becoming just another Suburban Park The deadline for the hemmed in by development all around and overrun by too many people, Autumn/Winter 2017 issue too much activity and too many vehicles; or whether, more optimistically, is: 30 August 2017. the Forest can be saved to be enhanced and adequately protected into the future to be the place described in our Association’s vision? But many challenges (and some achievements) were identified in the course of the Unattributed photographs evening. There seems to be an emerging consensus that, particularly with are understood to have respect to recreation management, it feels like now is one of those been taken by the author moments for bold decision-making. or submitted with the photographer’s permission. As always, the year seems to have been rushing by since then and, at our AGM in April, we took some time to review the state of the Forest measured against the aspirations and intentions of our published Cover image: “Agenda”. There have been some significant achievements to restore and Latchmore improve the landscape and habitats of the Forest, particularly benefitting by Peter Roberts from funding through the Higher Level Stewardship Scheme (whose AGM is reported on page 6), and we will continue to work with and try to push along the Forestry Commission and National Park Authority to achieve Design and layout by more. The AGM also saw the election as Association Trustees of Keith Philippa Firth Braithwaite, as Secretary, and Gale Gould, as Vice Chair. www.philippafirth- Much harder to resolve remains the impact on the Forest of a relatively graphicdesign.com small area trying to absorb ever-increasing recreational pressures predominantly from the day visits of nearby residents. This can only increase further because New Forest District Council now seems to be Printed by determined to propose further large-scale residential development Document Despatch, within the remaining and diminishing area of undeveloped countryside Basingstoke, Hampshire alongside the Forest’s borders. www.documentdespatch. Engaging with the District Council local plan process and with a review com of the National Park Authority’s Recreation Management Strategy will absorb much of the time and energy of our committees and Council for the remainder of 2017 and beyond. Copyright © 2017 The New Forest Association By the time you receive this magazine we will have had a stand at the Registered Charity Roydon Woods Woodfair. If I did not see you there, I look forward to No. 260328 meeting and talking to you at our stand at the New Forest Show from 25 to 27 July. John Ward Our 150th Anniversary events so far We began the year with a very the Verderers. Several Trustees and Chairman John Ward followed this successful public meeting in Council Members joined Friends with a talk examining what we Lyndhurst in January all about Members, including representatives are doing about the issues in the where the New Forest is going from several town and parish Association’s “Agenda” for action, and the challenges before us today, councils, which are affiliated giving examples and raising points starting with a thought-provoking Members. about which everyone who loves talk by Clive Chatters, Council the Forest should be concerned. Members enjoyed a double Member of the Friends of the His talk, challenging at times, visit in Lyndhurst in March. First New Forest. Clive spoke movingly was described as inspirational we met in the Verderers Court about how he views the current and giving those present good for an illustrated talk by Head state of the Forest and where reasons for being a Member. Agister Jonathan Gerrelli. His he sees the challenges, not only After lunch, Members were able comprehensive presentation for the many local Forest interest to visit Furzey Gardens to enjoy described the vital role of the groups but also for all those whose them in warm sunshine, or the Verderers Court and the Agisters lives intersect with the Forest. Minstead Study Centre, where the in supporting Commoners, whose Head and a trustee gave a most Clive’s talk was followed by livestock provide the most efficient interesting guided tour, describing responses from Alison Barnes, and cost-effective means of the Centre’s innovative work with Chief Executive of the New Forest maintaining the special qualities of school children from Hampshire National Park Authority, Bruce the landscape of the unenclosed and beyond. Rothnie, Deputy Surveyor for the Forest. Jonathan then answered New Forest, Forestry Commission, questions before the group moved and Dominic May, Official Verderer. a little way down the road to There was then plenty of time for the church of St Michael and All the audience to debate the future Angels, where we were greeted by of the Forest. churchwarden Ann Rogers. In February, a cross-section of Local historian Angela Trend gave a people who care for the New fascinating talk about the building Forest attended the 150th of the church in the 19th century, Sloden Inclosure walk Anniversary lunch of the Friends. its spectacular brickwork, and The lunch was held at MJs how it was fortunate to acquire restaurant at Brockenhurst College, frescos and stained-glass windows For a complete change, a group where students on the Hospitality by some of the leading artists of of 20 Members enjoyed a walk and Catering courses prepare and the pre-Raphaelite period, and an in Sloden Inclosure early in May, serve delicious meals to a very high orchestra of wonderfully carved guided by New Forest Verderer standard. Belinda, Lady Montagu, wooden angels. Anthony Pasmore. Warning his Patron of the Friends, was In April we held our AGM and listeners that he was going to show accompanied by Mary Montagu- Members Event at Minstead Village them things they probably couldn’t Scott from the New Forest Centre. Hall. Following a short business see, he led the party round various Oliver Crosthwaite Eyre was there meeting, Peter Roberts, who sites of archaeological interest – in his role as President of the authored our book on the history inclosure boundaries from various Friends, but also representing the of the organisation, delighted his periods, a charcoal pit, Roman National Park Authority of which audience with an entertaining pottery kilns and a water-heating he is Chairman, as well as Steve illustrated talk about the lighter pit among them. It was a fine Avery, National Park Executive side of the Association’s history, sunny evening, the Forest looked Director for Strategy and Planning. ending with a heartfelt appeal to wonderful, and group members Graham Ferris represented the Members to fight to save the many agreed that they would look at Commoners Defence Association, flora and fauna that make the lumps and bumps in the Forest and Dionis Macnair attended for Forest such a very special place. floor in a new way from now on. Spring/Summer 2017 1 NEWSHabitat and Landscape Committee Being a “critical friend” to the Forestry • Nature given free reign to settle the final pattern of the matrix Commission throughout the Forest of wooded and un-wooded Design Plan process areas. In 2013 and 2015, Neil Sanderson expanded the report As Brian Tarnoff reports, when consultation process that produced to cover the remaining Inclosures, our Habitat and Landscape it. At the one closed consultation with Highland Water Studies and (HaL) committee of ecologists event, which I attended as Eastern Block Sequence essentially engages with the final stage an observer, an unstructured creating a viable blueprint for a of consultation on the Forestry discussion was held around maps Forest Design Plan based on these Commission’s Forest Design of the two remaining blocks of principles.