Wide grassy field bordered by trees, with a large oak on the right under a bright blue sky with wispy clouds

Balmer Lawn

Balmer Lawn is an example of one of our Lost Lawn projects, which aim to restore areas of herb-rich grassland that have, over time, become encroached by scrub and secondary tree growth.

These grassland lawns are an important and distinctive component of the New Forest landscape, supporting a rich assemblage of plants, fungi, and invertebrates, and providing important grazing areas for commoners’ livestock.

Restoration typically involves a combination of scrub clearance and tree removal where appropriate. Works are carefully planned to retain structural diversity and avoid impacts on protected species and surrounding habitats.

By restoring these “lost” lawns, the programme contributes to the wider objectives for the New Forest SSSI, SAC and SPA, helping to reinstate the open habitat mosaic that underpins many of the site’s notified features and supports its internationally important biodiversity.

Cleared grassy lawn with scattered branches and brush piles, bordered by tall trees under a blue sky

Restoring lawns

Suitability for lawn restoration is based on the ability to restore wet lawn type vegetation, connect lawn habitats and maintain open habitats in large areas of developing pasture woodland.

Dense older scrub can be coppiced, while maintaining younger scrub which is very beneficial to wildlife.

Where developing woodland has become advanced, there is limited potential for lost species to re-establish and the habitat should be allowed to develop into woodland.

Grassy open lawn bordered by trees under a cloudy grey sky

What were the issues?

Grazing areas and important species-rich wet grassland were being lost here due to thorn, birch and oak encroachment.

Many thorns were old and dying, offering limited value to wildlife.

The relics of wet lawn patches were surrounded by dying thorn and younger oak and pine stands becoming densely shaded.

'The New Forest supports internationally important, herb-rich lawns and damp grasslands, with species-rich plant communities that are rare elsewhere in the UK. It’s exciting to see these small relics of lawn being expanded and protected'

Rebekah Bisset, habitat restoration officer at Forestry England

Horses and a foal grazing on a grassy field beside a woodland edge with bare tree trunks under a cloudy sky

What was done

With stakeholder engagement, a program of work was agreed to coppice older dying thorn and remove stands of oak, birch and pine along the relics of wet lawn.

The project aimed to develop a mosaic of mixed lawn and pasture woodland, whilst retaining valuable younger, dense scrubby habitat.