Biodiversity in the New Forest.

Abstract

The New Forest is widely recognised to be one of the most important areas for wildlife in the UK, being home to large numbers of species of flowering plants, bryophytes, lichens, fungi, bats, birds, mammals,reptiles and invertebrates, among many others. Its extensive areas of semi-natural habitats, occurring in a complex mosaic, justify its inclusion among the most valuable areas for biodiversity conservation in lowland western Europe (Chatters 2006). Despite this, the current status and distribution of many species occurring within the New Forest remains very poorly understood. The aim of this book is to provide an overview of biodiversity in the New Forest, by summarising what is currently known and identifying where the knowledge gaps lie. The book emerged from a conference held during 25– 26 September 2007 at the Balmer Lawn Hotel in Brockenhurst, organised by staff at Bournemouth University in association with the British Ecological Society, the New Forest National Park Authority and the Forestry Commission. At the meeting, specialists on different groups of organisms presented current information regarding the status and distribution of species occurring within the New Forest, focusing on those of particular conservation interest or concern, and with the aim of identifying current trends in abundance. Information on the status and trends in the condition of different habitats was also presented, with the aim of informing future management decisions and identifying particular issues of concern. Much of the information on species and habitats in the New Forest is widely dispersed and difficult to access. The principal aim of this book is to bring this information together for the first time, and to make it available to a wider audience. Based on the presentations made at the conference, the book comprises a series of chapters on individual groups of species, which are then followed by an overview of selected habitats and communities. The final chapters provide a brief consideration of current management approaches and future challenges. Despite the large number of specialists that have generously contributed to this volume, it cannot be considered a comprehensive account of biodiversity in the New Forest. An attempt was made to include as many different groups of species as possible, but inevitably there are significant gaps. The coverage of different groups of organisms is uneven, reflecting variation in the current state of knowledge, their taxonomic size and complexity, and the availability of appropriate expertise. If the end result is somewhat heterogeneous and idiosyncratic, then perhaps this is appropriate, given that these are attributes of the New Forest itself! At the very least, the chapters in this book highlight how much still remains to be discovered, and emphasise the urgent need for further research and survey work.