Landscape

The New Forest was designated as a National Park in 2005 though it was known and appreciated for its natural beauty long before. The landscape is perhaps the main attraction of the area for visitors, offering a rare glimpse of medieval England that is especially striking in the busy, built-up south. The New Forest is sometimes said to be a ‘mosaic’ of habitats: ancient woodland, pine plantations, heather-covered heaths, boggy mires, grazed lawns, picturesque villages and an unspoilt coastline of mudflats, marshes and lagoons. More than half of the New Forest National Park - 56% - is of national or international importance for nature conservation, making it one of the most strongly protected landscapes in the country.

Very reserved - five types of protection in the New Forest
1. Sites of Special Scientific Interest (20)
2. Special Areas of Conservation (4)
3. Nature Reserves (3 National, 2 Local)
4. Ramsar Sites (internationally important wetlands, 2)
5. Special Protection Areas (2)

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