The annual New Forest Biodiversity Conference was established in 2024 and is a key component of the New Forest Biodiversity Forum. Conference presentation slides and abstracts are available for the 2024, 2025 and 2026 events below, together with the outputs of the original New Forest Biodiversity Conference in 2007.

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2026 Conference

The 2026 conference was held on the 03-04 March 2026. The conference programme can be viewed here. Presentation slides can be accessed via the links provided below.

 

Day One

• New Forest Biodiversity Forum update (Russell Wynn) - slides 

Session 1 - Delivering nature recovery at landscape scale

• Matt Roseveare (New Forest Biodiversity Forum Associate) - Heathland restoration video

• Andrew Stringer (Forestry England) - Delivering nature recovery in England’s forests - slides​

• Suzi Egleston and Rebekah Bisset (Forestry England) - HLS habitat restoration work on the New Forest Crown Lands in 2025-26 - slides​

• Nigel Matthews (Hampshire Ornithological Society): HLS 2025 breeding wader survey - slides​

• Russell Wynn (Wild New Forest): HLS 2025 rare invertebrates survey - slides​​

 Session 2 - Delivering nature recovery through the charity and volunteer sector

• Debbie Tann (Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust) - Delivering nature recovery across Hampshire and IoW - slides​

• Tracé Cooper-Williams (Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust) - Hurst & Keyhaven Coastal Nature Reserve Forum - slides​

• Izzy Williamson (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) - RSPB Franchises Lodge - 2025 update and 2026 plans - slides​

• Jasper Iepema (Purbeck Ecology) and David Brown (National Trust) - Introducing the Purbeck Natural History Forum - slides​

Session 3 - New Forest Biodiversity Audit

• Chris Panter (Footprint Ecology) - Introduction to the New Forest Biodiversity Audit - slides, followed by a workshop. ​

Session 4 - Freshwater species and aquatic pollution 

• Dom Longley (Environment Agency) - New Forest freshwater fish surveys in 2025 - slides

• Naomi Ewald (Freshwater Habitats Trust) - Video update on pollution in ponds project 

• Gemma Stride (Freshwater Habitats Trust) - Assessing the impact of pollution management on freshwater biodiversity​ - slides

• Joff Edevane / Alex Finch (Southern Water) - Tackling aquatic pollution in the New Forest - slides

• Erica Popplewell (River Action) - Community engagement around aquatic pollution - slides

 

​Day Two

Session 1 - Updates from NFBF grant-funded projects

• Becks Spake (University of Southampton) - Introduction to the New Forest Living Lab programme​ - slides

• Green Smith (University of Exeter) - Smoke stimulation in UK heathland plants - slides

• ​Paul Brock, Colin Easton, and Howard Inns (Independent) - The enigmatic Mole - results of Mole-cricket surveys in the New Forest - slides

• ​Paul Brock - Brockenhurst 'Bugs' - slides

• Chris Dieck (RSPB) - Bechstein’s Bat surveys at RSPB Franchises Lodge in 2025​ - slides

• Andy Murdock (Maploom) - Green Forest Hoverfly Hunt - survey results in 2025​ - slides

• Ian Hughes (Independent) - Scarlet Malachite Beetle translocation trial - slides

Session 2 - Delivering nature recovery on private land in the New Forest

• Rupert Brewer (Bisterne Estate) - Delivering nature recovery on Bisterne Estate - slides

• Russell Wynn (Wild New Forest) - New Forest Species Survival Fund - 2025 survey results - slides

​Species Survival Fund workshop

• Anna-Marie Dennis / Angela Peters (Freshwater Habitats Trust) - SSF wetland creation/restoration - slides​

• Eryn McDonald (Amphibian and Reptile Conservation) - SSF herptile habitat creation/restoration​ - slides

• Tracé Cooper-Williams (Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust) - SSF wildflower meadow creation - slides​

Session 3 - Managing large herbivores in the New Forest

• Alex Theodorou (University of Southampton) - Nurse planting to protect saplings from large herbivores - slides

• ​​Jane Nordstrom (ELM Consultancy) and Stuart Hales (NE) - Collaborative Deer Management in the Northern New Forest and Deer impacts in Langley Wood NNR - slides (Jane)  - slides (Stuart)​

Session 4 - Vertebrate surveys and research in the New Forest

• Colleen Hope (Hampshire Bat Group and Ecological Consultancy Services) - Tracking Greater Horseshoe Bats in the western New Forest​ - slides

• Paul Edgar (Amphibian and Reptile Conservation) - Is the Common Frog likely to remain ‘Common’ in the New Forest? 

• Paul Bellamy (RSPB) and Ken Smith (Woodpecker Network) - New Forest Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers - 2025 results update - slides

• Andy Page (New Forest Raptor Monitoring Programme) - New Forest Raptor Monitoring Programme 2025 - slides

• Matt Roseveare (New Forest Biodiversity Forum Associate) - New Forest Raptor Monitoring Programme video​

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2025 Conference

The 2025 conference was held in Brockenhurst on 04-05 March 2025. The conference programme is available here. Slides, abstracts, and workshop information can be viewed by clicking on the links below. ​​

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Day One

• Russell Wynn: Update on New Forest Biodiversity Forum activities - slides

• ​Charles Watson (Keynote): The challenges of campaigning for clean rivers: creating a national eNGO from the heart of the New Forest  - slides / abstract

• Nick Mills: Southern Water - Environment improvement plans in the New Forest  - slides  

• Gemma Stride: Assessing the impact of pollution management on freshwater biodiversity - slides

• Dominic Longley: The fish of the New Forest rivers: how we monitor them and the pressures they face - slides 

• ​John Stride: Introduction to the New Forest 'Net Zero with Nature' Programme - slides / abstract

• Russell Wynn: Current and recent climate change impacts on New Forest habitats and species - slides 

• Christine Sams: Climate change projections and associated risks and opportunities in the New Forest National Park - slides / abstract

• Suzi Eglestone: Habitat restoration monitoring update - slides / abstract

• Green Smith:  What New Forest plant species might have smoke stimulated germination and why does it matter? - slides / abstract

• ​​​John Stride: Introduction to the Species Survival Fund - slides / abstract

• ​Russell Wynn: Species Survival Fund ecological survey results - slides 

• ​Gemma Stride: A programme of targeted works to expand the New Forest Freshwater Network - slides 

• ​Trace Cooper-Williams: Species Survival Fund - creating pollinator habitats - slides 

• ​Eryn McDonald: Species Survival Fund - ARC sites - slides / abstract

• ​Jane Nordstrom: Northern New Forest and Southeast Wilts Deer Management Project - slides / abstract

• ​​Alex Theodorou: A socio-ecological study of large herbivores in the New Forest - slides / abstract

• ​​Andrew Parry-Norton: 2024 review of commoning and farming in the New Forest - abstract

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The Day One workshop focused on New Forest Climate Change Risks and Opportunities. A short bullet point summary is available here. The report will be linked here when published (winter 2025/26). 

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Day Two

• ​​Steve Cham (Keynote): The dragonflies of the New Forest - 40 years on - slides / abstract

• ​Andy Barker (Keynote): The changing fortunes of New Forest butterflies - slides / abstract

• ​​Paul Edgar: Should there be any sand lizards in the New Forest? - slides / abstract

• ​Catherine Chatters: Invasive Non-Native Species - Pitcher Plants in the New Forest - slides / abstract

• ​Pete Durnell: Coastal birds at Lymington-Hurst Nature Reserve - slides / abstract

• ​Trace Cooper-Williams: Hurst and Keyhaven coastal engagement project - slides 

• ​Eric Janke: Using DNA barcoding as an additional tool for recording fungi - slides / abstract

• ​Dominic Price: Field Gentian survey update (by pre-recorded video) 

• ​Colin Easton: Green Forest Hoverfly project update - slides / abstract

• Sophie Lake and Durwyn Liley: Speckled Footman project update - slides 

• ​​​Andy Page and Tommy Saunders: New Forest Raptor Monitoring Programme - slides / abstract

• ​​Chris Dieck: Bechstein’s Bats (and other bat work) at RSPB Franchises Lodge - slides / abstract

• ​Nigel Matthews: 2024 New Forest Woodlark survey - slides / abstract

• ​Ken Smith: Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers in the New Forest - slides / abstract

• ​Ken Smith: Passive Acoustic Monitoring - a useful bird monitoring tool - slides / abstract

• ​Orestis Aslanidis: Assessing recreational disturbance impacts on birds in the New Forest - slides / abstract

• ​Dom Longley: Insights into New Forest coastal fish species using underwater video 

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The Day Two workshop focused on volunteer surveyor schemes, what a good scheme looks like, and priority topics for the New Forest. The notes from this session have been used to shape the New Forest Volunteer Ecological Surveyor Programme (VESPA) launched in May 2025. Further information and sign up details can be found here.  

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2024 Conference

The 2024 conference was held in Brockenhurst on 06-07 Feb 2024. An event summary is available here. The conference programme is accessible here. Slides and abstracts can be viewed or downloaded by clicking on the links below. 

 

Day One

• ​Introduction to the New Forest Biodiversity Forum by Russell Wynn (Talk)

• ​​KEYNOTE: Impacts of environmental change on biodiversity of the New Forest by Adrian Newton (Talk) (Abstract)

• ​Habitat restoration and management in the New Forest by Leanne Sargeant (Talk) (Abstract)

• ​The Freshwater Network by Naomi Ewald (Talk) (Abstract)

• ​Green and Blue Horizons - Green Recovery Challenge Fund project by Paul Walton (Talk) (Abstract)

• ​Habitat management at RSPB Franchises Lodge by Saul Alonso (Talk) (Abstract)

• ​Wildfires, phenology, and fire weather in Dorset and Hampshire by Claire Belcher (Talk) (Abstract)

• ​Socio-ecological study of large herbivore grazing in the New Forest by Alexandros Theodorou (Talk) (Abstract)

• ​Hurst Spit to Lymington Strategy: adapting to the challenge of sea level rise by Marianne Piggin (Talk) (Abstract)

• ​Solent Seascape Project by Louise MacCallum (Talk) (Abstract)

• ​Environment Agency monitoring water quality in the New Forest by Shirley Medgett (Talk) (Abstract)

• ​Reducing the use of storm overflows by Nick Mills (Talk) (Abstract)

• ​New Forest Wilder for Water and Blue Horizons projects by Gemma Stride (Talk) (Abstract)

• ​Communicating about forest management to public and policymakers by Tony Hockley (Talk) (Abstract)

• ​Commoning and farming in the New Forest: challenges and opportunities (Abstract)

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Day Two

• ​KEYNOTE: New Forest: a cornucopia of species by Clive Chatters (Abstract)

• ​​Biodiversity recording in Hampshire and the New Forest by Nicky Court (Talk) (Abstract)

• Recent lichen surveys in the New Forest by Neil Sanderson (Talk) (Abstract)

• ​New Forest Catchment Partnership: Freshwater Species Monitoring by Naomi Ewald (Talk) (Abstract)

• ​Fauna and fungi response to heathland restoration by Russell Wynn (Talk) (Abstract)

• ​New Forest bird surveys by Keith Betton and Marcus Ward (Talk KB) (Talk MW) (Abstract KB)

• ​Population monitoring of New Forest birds of prey by Andy Page (Talk) (Abstract)

• ​New Forest Curlews: predation and other impacts on breeding success by Elli Rivers and Mike Short (Talk) (Abstract)

• ​New Forest Nightjar Survey 2023 by Carmen Perry (Talk) (Abstract)

• ​New Forest woodland bird resurvey (2009-11 to 2022) by Russell Wynn and Marcus Ward (Talk) (Abstract)

• ​Snakes in the Heather project by Ben Limburn (Talk) (Abstract)

• ​The New Forest Non-Native Plants Project by Catherine Chatters (Talk) (Abstract)

• ​The Green Forest Hoverfly surveys by Andy Murdock (Talk) (Abstract)

• ​Bats at RSPB Franchises Lodge by Chris Dieck (Talk) (Abstract)

• ​Endangered species conservation in the New Forest by Dominic Price (Talk) (Abstract)

• ​New Forest deer and their management by Andy Page (Talk) (Abstract)

• ​New Forest Pine Marten project by Marcus Ward (Talk) (Abstract)

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2007 Conference

The original New Forest Biodiversity Conference took place in 2007. The outputs of that meeting were compiled in a book called 'Biodiversity in the New Forest' edited by Prof Adrian Newton of Bournemouth University. ​Adrian is a Steering Group member of the New Forest Biodiversity Forum and has kindly provided PDF files of the book chapters, available to download by clicking the links below.