Craig Harrison is Forestry England's Forest Management Director for the South District and Deputy Surveyor of the New Forest. For this month's 'Into the woods' blog, he explores the special status and management of the New Forest.
The New Forest is very special to me. Childhood holidays along the south coast and in the New Forest sparked my fascination with nature, and by my early teenage years, it had already planted the seed for a future in forestry.
That passion led me to study Ecology and Forestry and took me from the remote landscapes of Scotland to the bustling green spaces of Greater London. I feel very fortunate to have ended up in my current role as Deputy Surveyor of the New Forest. The position is an honour and a privilege.
Allow me to share what I think makes the New Forest so special and show you one of the earliest walks I remember doing in the New Forest as a child.
What's special about the New Forest
The New Forest National Park is known for its unique blend of ancient landscapes, rich biodiversity and cultural heritage. The mixture of woodland, heathland, wetlands and grassland creates a unique and varied ecosystem – including the forest’s well-known free-roaming animals.
Forestry England manages over 115 square miles of land in the forest – about half of the National Park. This area includes most of the forest’s internationally important habitat and 85% of its accessible greenspaces. It’s also one of the largest stretches of semi-natural habitat in lowland Britain.
The land that Forestry England manages is broadly divided into 3 management areas: inclosures, ancient and ornamental woodland, and open forest. Each are scattered across the landscape, have their own unique characteristics and face unique conservation challenges. Bolderwood is one of these areas.
Towering conifers and restoring native woodland
Bolderwood attracts thousands of visitors a year. It’s very welcoming, with a range of facilities including toilets and waymarked walks. A short walk from the car park, through Jubilee Grove, there is a deer viewing platform where wild herds of fallow deer can often be seen in the open fields.
Near Bolderwood car park you’ll find inclosures - parts of the forest set aside for forestry and timber production - filled with magnificent mature Douglas fir and a variety of conifers dating back to the 1860s. These impressive trees, soaring over 50 meters high, create vast, open spaces beneath their canopy – a breathtaking setting for visitors to explore and experience the magic of the forest.
Across the New Forest, we're actively restoring many of these woodlands to a more natural state. By gradually increasing the proportion of native broadleaf species while maintaining sustainable timber production, we’re helping to create a healthier, more resilient forest for the future.
Ancient woodland and biodiversity
South of Bolderwood lies an extensive area of ancient and ornamental woodland, shaped over centuries by grazing. The landscape is home to a wonderful mixture of native trees including oak, beech and holly, with many veteran trees - some over 400 years old. To protect them, we limit our management, preserving veteran trees and maintaining large amounts of valuable deadwood. This creates essential microhabitats for countless species of fungi, insects, small mammals and birds.
To the west of Bolderwood is open forest and the New Forest’s complex mosaic of heathland, acid grassland and mire habitats. These ecosystems not only support a variety of rare wildlife but also play a crucial role in flood prevention and carbon storage. Often compared in ecological importance to tropical rainforests, they are a testament to the New Forest’s global significance in conservation.
Royalty and roaming animals
Bolderwood and the New Forest’s cultural value is significant, with stories of both ancient traditions, royalty and modern sacrifice.
Bolderwood was invited to be a part of the Ancient Canopy network dedicated to Queen Elizabeth in celebration of the Platinum Jubilee in 2022. Its royal connections date back even further; it was established as a royal forest named ‘Nova Foresta’ in 1079 by William the Conqueror. It was also used as a royal hunting lodge, existing in various forms until the 18th century, with the earliest record of its use dating back to 1325 during the reign of King Edward II.
The New Forest follows the ancient tradition of the Rights of Common, which allows landowners and renters (known as ‘commoners’) to graze livestock in the wood pasture and open forest. The practice of ‘commoning’ has made the character of the forest what it is today, as well as shaping the landscape and ecology. Ponies, cattle, donkeys, sheep and pigs can be seen at various times throughout the year, though many are semi-wild and rarely handled, so you mustn’t go near them.
Bolderwood also has links to more recent history. Just north of the car park is the Canadian War Memorial, a simple wooden cross marking the place where Canadian forces stationed in the New Forest would gather for church services before the D-Day invasion of Normandy.
Bolderwood stands as a microcosm of the amazing history and special status that the New Forest has. It is a living example of sustainable management, where historic practices have endured for centuries and continue to shape and protect one of Britain's largest National Parks for future generations to enjoy. My connection with the forest is a simple one of calm, tranquillity, being in nature and hope others can appreciate that too.
Find out about the walking trails at Bolderwood.
If you own or manage woodland, read our guidance Managing people and public access in your woodland on GOV.UK.
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