New Forest Northern Commons

A blooming landscape of heathland restoration, open for special events which help people connect to nature. Foxbury is our groundbreaking heathland restoration project: a 150 hectare site of dry and wet heathland, ponds and woodland, already colonised by many rare heathland wildlife specialists.

Fantastic examples of upland dry heathland, leading through gentle valley systems to rich mires and bogs. These Commons are steeped in history, with ornamental plantations and wartime structures still forming part of the landscape.

A national stronghold for the rare small fleabane flowering plant. Small woodlands dotted amongst open bogs and wetlands characterise this Common, best viewed from atop Stagbury Hill, a bronze age burial mound.

A site of lowland heathland, great for butterflies and ground-nesting bird populations, leading to one of the best examples of a heathland valley mire system in Britain.

A small pocket of lowland heathland on the edge of the New Forest boasting stunning views to the south.

Discover a wealth of autumn colour with a walk in the New Forest: golden leaves, purple heather and fascinating fungi. We've got three very different downloadable trails for you to try, drawing you into some of the Forest's fascinating history, and magnificent ancient landscapes.

The countryside of the New Forest transforms over autumn, with great swathes of rich colours and crisp atmospheric mornings. Look out for heather in September and fungi throughout the season.

Visit our Foxbury page to find out about our events, from Forest School to guided walks. With miles of wide, all-weather gravel tracks, Foxbury is a great way to experience the outdoors and connect with nature. Open for events only.

The New Forest is a stronghold for bats, with 16 out of the 17 UK species living here. Our Forest commons are actively managed for wildlife, including bats like the rare Bechstein’s and barbastelle varieties. Early autumn is a great time to experience these elusive mammals, on a dusk stroll.

There are approximately 2,700 species of fungi in the New Forest, many of which are rare and endangered. Not only are they beautiful to look at, they’re also a vital part of the New Forest’s unique ecology.

Lowland heathland is an internationally rare habitat, for which the New Forest is one of the main strongholds in Britain. This varied landscape provides habitat for a vast array of rare and diverse wildlife, including an array of birds, reptiles, insects and plants.

The cutting of trees by the team at this time of the year can appear very destructive, but these extremely important management practices are undertaken to protect the rare heathland for years to come.

Learn about the all important but often unnoticed day to day work we do throughout the year that maintains this land for everyone to enjoy.

Our team have an important role caring for our varied New Forest habitats.

The New Forest has a history stretching back over a thousand years, and has traditions which are still going strong to this day.

Find out about the tradition of commoning in the New Forest