Forestry Commission

• About 700 hectares of woodland in Hampshire are covered by management agreements with the Forestry Commission that specifically include coppice management
  
  
• The Forestry Commission works in partnership with many other organisations on a number of landscape-scale projects in Hampshire. These projects aim to provide funding, advice and expertise for landowners to help them achieve sustainable land use and nature conservation.

Contact: Alan Betts alan.betts@forestry.gsi.gov.uk

The South East England District of the Forestry Commission manages a number of key forests and woodlands in Hampshire (beyond the New Forest District). The District has appointed its own Ecologist, Jay Doyle, to support its Foresters and Wildlife Rangers in forest planning and operations.

In Hampshire there are two key areas of delivery for biodiversity on
Forestry Commission owned and managed land. The first relates to the
restoration of ancient and native woodlands whereby conifers are being
removed from ancient woodland sites and beech plantations are being
diversified to take on a more mixed composition. Secondly, in managing 1300 hectares of the Thames Basin Heaths all of which is designated as SPA and SSSI we have been providing a significant contribution to the restoration of lowland heathland in tandem with maintaining sustainably managed cyclical forestry.

We also undertake enhancement work to benefit individual priority species upon our land, an example being the construction of otter holts which has been achieved by working in partnership with the Wildlife Trusts. However, the bulk of our beneficial activity is achieved in working at a landscape level.

Examples of Key Hampshire sites managed by the Forestry Commission in the South East England Forest District:

Bramshill blocks - 1300 hectares of plantation forestry, lowland heath,
open water bodies and valley mires designated as an SPA for its resident EU listed bird species. Also supports a high diversity of invertebrates including damselflies, dragonflies and silver studded blue butterflies and
priority lower plants including marsh clubmoss and pillwort;

Alice Holt Forest - former Royal Hunting Forest near Farnham amounting to 850 hectares in extent. A key site for the purple emperor butterfly in Hampshire. Ancient woodland restoration is being delivered at the landscape scale;

Whiteley Pastures - 200 hectares of woodland adjoining the Solent Business Park and land managed by Hampshire County Council. Work has been undertaken to enhance this site by reinstating an active coppice regime. Future work will remove the remaining conifers and enhance ride networks to link with neighbouring corridors;

For further information on sites managed by the South East England Forest District please call 01420 23666 or visit www.forestry.gov.uk/wildwoods