2022 – 15 July HLS minutes

APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE RESUME

Apologies from Craig Harrison – Deputy Surveyor – Forestry England

The Board welcomed Susan Mitchell from the Foundation for Common Land, who is the Test and Trial Coordinator for the New Forest.

DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST RESUME

OV is Chairman of the VGS Management Committee.

AB declared an interest in all Wetland Restoration projects because of the NPA’s responsibilities as local planning authority.

CL is a member of the VGS and a committee member of the CDA.

MATTERS ARISING FROM THE MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING RESUME

It was noted that the spring/summer spend is lower as the majority of the terrestrial works occur Sept – Feb.

FE UPDATE RESUME

Staff Update

Jake Leigh joined the HLS Team in June as HLS Works Supervisor, replacing Laura Ortiz Garcia. He is working with Lucy Andrews on the Terrestrial programme. Holly Fitzgerald joined the HLS team as Verge Restoration Officer in July. She will work alongside Jayne Albery until Jayne’s retirement in August.

Terrestrial Restoration

Ridge & Furrow Removal and Stump Shearing

2.4ha of furrows were removed at Turf Hill following the stump removal. Dunces Arch is programmed in for Autumn 2022. Survey for unexploded ordnance was carried out earlier in the year, which confirmed that works can go ahead in areas where intrusive restoration work is planned. Preparation and planning are also underway to restore new clear fell areas at Knightwood and Matley Ridge in the 2022/23 winter work programme.

Rhododendron Management

The summer spraying programme is underway. Contractors are treating sites at Dibden, Woodcrates, Turf Hill, Fawley, Dunces Arch, Longdown, Little Wootton and Allum Green. Planning has started for the winter programme to cut rhododendron bushes and burn the arisings.

Lost Lawns

The planned restoration in Tantany Wood is programmed for winter 2022/23. Plans will be put in place to manage constraints from archaeology and potential unexploded ordnance. A consultation site visit was held in May for Millyford Green and Anderwood and a record of the agreed works has been circulated to attendees. These sites will be restored in winter 2022/23.

Mature Pine Felling and Seedling and Sapling Pine Removal

Woodcrates – The agreed phase 2 restoration works started in October with 4.72 ha completed so far (remaining timber to be removed when conditions allow) and one more area to complete in winter 2022/23. A consultation site visit for phase 3 took

and Turfhill (SSSI unit 68 - 57ha). These will be practical plans with a map and a clear list of actions needed to restore each site. JT commented it was good to see the work progressing on the restoring these units as it contributing to their change in status.

The government’s 25-year environment plan has a biodiversity target to restore 75% of protected sites to favourable condition. Many units of the New Forest SSSI are due to change soon – The New Forest SSSI is currently 54% favourable with 21% remaining to reach target.

Bracken Management

The programme for 2022 will again focus on forage harvesting operations due to the ongoing restrictions on using Asulam. Natural England reports that an alternative herbicide is being trialled but is unlikely to be ready for use in summer 2022.

Holly Pollarding

The team plan to treat a further 6-8ha of dense understorey holly to benefit epiphytic lichens under the HLS project in winter 2022/23. This is a rolling programme of works that aims to treat all “urgent priority” and “priority” areas identified by N Sandersons’ 2018/19 report in 29 woodlands over the next 3-5 years.

Verge Restoration

The Verge Restoration Officer is retiring in August. Her replacement started in July to allow for a handover period. Alongside the usual engagement with residents/ locals and partner organisations, measures were installed at a number of locations during April to June, including Wootton, Decoy, Boundway, Latchmore, Aldridge Hill, Woodgreen and Godshill. Preparations are underway for a programme of new and outstanding work due take place in 2022 to include the following sites - Blackfield and Roughdown, Bank/Gritnam, Burley, Furzey Lane, Gatewood and Brockenhurst. Ongoing work with E&I Officer to update relevant pages on the HLS Website and develop verges animation.

Thinning A & O Plots

A new programme of work is being planned to carry out thinning of A&O regeneration plots. Work will begin in winter 2022/23 at Bratley Wood to establish a more natural A&O woodland structure going forwards. Works are also planned for Brook Wood and Bramshaw Wood.

appoint a new chair. David Rumble, CEO of Wessex Rivers Trust was nominated and voted as chair via an online vote. Wessex Rivers Trust also requested to have a seat on the forum.

Wetland Restoration Monitoring

The Citizen Science volunteers are surveying 3 Riverfly sites again this season. Harvestslade restored in 2015, Wootton restored 2016-18 and Millersford (not restored). The monthly surveys are carried out from April to October.

Following recommendations in the FWRF Evidence and Monitoring Plan, 3 vegetation surveys have been commissioned to be carried out in 2022 which will trial a new protocol being developed to monitor wetland restoration projects in the New Forest.

Post restoration vegetation monitoring at North Slufters Inclosure (restored 2014) and Harvestslade (restored 2015), Baseline vegetation survey before restoration is being carried out at Picket Bottom Mire. The surveys will be carried out this summer and reports provided by the end of the year.

In line with recommendations in the FWRF Evidence and Monitoring plan it is planned to engage a contractor to combine data from the various monitoring strands into a single succinct report for each site. The report would describe the site 5 years after restoration in the context of the habitats present and the relevant measures of success.

Species Monitoring

2 specialist species surveys have been commissioned for 2022;

Six spotted cranefly (Idiocera sexguttata) A habitat suitability assessment and survey of the current known location, plus additional sites with wet transition mires with woodland adjacent.

Beaulieu Dung Beetle (Liothorax niger) A habitat suitability assessment and survey of the past known locations.

The report for the reptile habitat suitability assessment and mitigation guidance for ridge and furrow restoration is due by end September (delayed due to contractor illness).

Plants and monitoring of Cotoneaster and Gaultheria. Also details of the works undertaken by contractors on the open forest.

LiDAR REPORT RESUME

NFLAS WRITTEN UPDATE RESUME

A report covering the support given to promote the HLS for the period from October 2021 to end of June 2022 was studied. This covered an extended period due to staff illness at NFLAS.

CL asked for NFLAS continued assistance in locating back up grazing for commoners due to the current pressures of losing grazing due to landowners signing up the land as mitigation for other projects. The CDA are sending out a survey to identify the size of the problem. SM commented that the FCL are looking to see if this is happening elsewhere in the country.

FUTURE NEW FOREST ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP SCHEME UPDATE RESUME

JT had no further update on ELMS. JT advised TW that a letter is being sent from the RPA to existing agreement holders to inform them that from 31^st Jan 2023 the agreements will converge to domestic terms and conditions for existing HLS Schemes. There may be a potential for a 5-year rollover agreement.

AGM RESUME

to the New Forest being treated as one holding only. This is not something we want to persist into future schemes.

Meeting closed 16.32pm

Lord Manners

Official Verderer