Biodiversity of the New Forest
The sheer diversity of wildlife within the New Forest is staggering. It contains by far the largest area of lowland heathland in Europe and supports the majority of Europe's valley mires.
Birds of prey that are scarce elsewhere such as goshawk, hobby and honey buzzard are all frequently encountered in the Forest.
Butterflies that have disappeared from much of the range such as the wall, pearl bordered fritillary and small pearl bordered fritillary all have strong holds within or around the Forest. Dragonflies that are rare elsewhere in Hampshire or on the Island such as the southern and small red damselflies can be found in many locations throughout the Forest.
The Forest is also incredibly important for fungi, for example nail fungus thrives on pony dung and a new species of fungi for science was discovered in the Forest only last year.
The New Forest epitomises the concept of a living landscape, the sheer scale of the area allows a vast array of species to flourish and the natural variations created by extensive grazing to provide the plethora of niches required.
