A Forestry England assessment says more than 100 hectares of New Forest heathland were damaged, with recovery plans now being prepared after wildlife rescue work at the site. More than 100 hectares of New Forest heathland have been damaged by a wildfire. A specialist team has mapped the affected site, where large areas of vegetation were burnt, including heathers, gorse and pillwort, a rare plant found in the New Forest, according to the assessment. The fire also burned deep into the ground, damaging layers of seed banks under the soils, while a significant number of ancient beech and oak t
More than 100 hectares of New Forest heathland have been damaged by a wildfire.
A specialist team has mapped the affected site, where large areas of vegetation were burnt, including heathers, gorse and pillwort, a rare plant found in the New Forest, according to the assessment.
The fire also burned deep into the ground, damaging layers of seed banks under the soils, while a significant number of ancient beech and oak trees were lost after heat reached their root systems.
Specialists from Forestry England and the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust have carried out an animal rescue, moving surviving species to nearby parts of the Forest after many habitats were affected.
Recovery plans are now being drawn up using experience from previous fire restoration work, including the heathland fire in Wareham, Dorset, in May 2020, which affected a large area there.
Michael Pittock, Head of Planning and Environment, said it was difficult to see the damage, adding: “It will take decades for nature to fully recover but there are things we can do to help.”
