Lentune Probus Ladies Club met at South Lawn today and were thrilled by the photographs and talk by Mike Read about the Wildlife of a Working Forest. He began by running through a brief history of the New Forest, which has a history stretching back more than 900 years. It is the smallest of the National Parks and has an estimated 13 million day visits each year. The ponies, cows, donkeys and pigs have right of way which is one of the reasons visitors come. 

The New Forest is under the control of the National Park Authority, Forestry England, 10 verderers (who make laws) and 5 agisters (who supervise the health of the commoners’ animals, organise the drifts of ponies in the autumn and take fees for each animal). 

There is clearance of invasive weeds and plants e.g. rhododendrons, alterations of the streams that were straightened by the Victorians but need the flow slowed down by bends to prevent flooding downstream, controlled burning of the heather, and the control of visitors by the placing of bridges and paths to guide their walks. Yet more work is carried out on cycling paths, and timber production. 

Mike then went through the seasons of the year showing wonderful photos of wildlife in the New Forest. It’s impossible to do justice to the beauty he revealed. Winter was frosted and misty. Spring was full of wild daffodils, bluebells, woodspurge and wild garlic. Birds were photographed with fabulous results. 

On to summer with flowers galore, insects and birds plus the growing foals and fauns. Orchids can be seen and wild gladiolus, heather and foxgloves, butterflies, grasshoppers, crickets and stag beetles. Finally, to autumn, Mike’s favourite season. Rowan and holly have berries forming, hawthorn, ivy flowers, fungi of all sorts. The deer are rutting and there are owls flying. 

Mike finished with a beautiful shot of ancient beech trees and the audience sighed and relaxed after a wonderful journey through the New Forest. 

Following the talk, the ladies made a beeline for a range of cards showing Mike’s photography skills and then enjoyed a good lunch and chat with other members.