New Forest Volunteer Ecological Surveyor Programme - Summer 2025 update

The New Forest Volunteer Ecological Surveyor Programme (VESPA) launched in mid-May, and here we provide an update on the scheme. Further details about VESPA, including a link to the registration form, can be found here.

In the first six weeks of the programme we have seen just over 50 participants register, and many of these have already engaged in VESPA training and other activities, totalling over 200 volunteer hours of activity.  To support the registered participants, we have provided simple guidance on species identification and recording here.

Independent surveys

One of the main objectives of VESPA was to make it easier for volunteer ecological surveyors to operate independently on the open forest - we have achieved this via a Partnership Agreement with Forestry England and through provision of free insurance cover. It has therefore been encouraging to see several of the most experienced ecologists in the New Forest taking advantage of this opportunity and registering for the programme. We are not tracking all independent activities at this stage but are aware that many of these surveyors have been out surveying and recording on the open forest in recent weeks.

Breeding raptor training

We delivered two half-day training workshops on breeding raptors on 08 and 22 June, led by Andy Page and Tommy Saunders of the New Forest Raptor Monitoring Group (NFRMG). A total of 20 VESPA participants attended the two workshops, ranging from experienced ornithologists to local college students seeking to gain vital field experience. Over the two sessions, we got to enjoy views of Common Buzzard, Goshawk, Honey-buzzard, Red Kite, Hobby, Kestrel, and Peregrine. Other notable birds included Woodlark, Crossbill, and Raven, while a nationally scarce Lesser Cockroach was a surprise find in someone’s empty coffee cup! Going forwards, we hope that some of the participants will generate data that provides useful support to the NFRMG core team, and already one of them has reported a dead Red Kite and juvenile Goshawks.

VESPA raptor training session at Acres Down on 08 June 2025

Dragonfly training

We welcomed UK dragonfly expert Steve Cham to the New Forest on 21 June to lead a half-day VESPA workshop on dragonflies and damselflies, focussed on their identification, ecology, and surveying. We were treated to views of nine Odonata species, including the nationally rare Southern Damselfly and nationally scarce Small Red Damselfly. We were also fortunate to see Keeled Skimmer in the hand (extracted from the web of a Bordered Orbweaver Spider) and the exuviae (shed larval skins) of both that species and Golden-ringed Dragonfly. We also enjoyed a variety of rare wetland plants, including 16 red-listed species such as Lesser Water plantain, Marsh Lousewort, and Pillwort. A small cluster of Tiger Sawgill fungi were a nice surprise, as this is a relatively rare and unusual species in the New Forest that requires waterlogged deadwood that is inundated in winter.

VESPA dragonfly training at Crockford Stream on 21 June 2025

New Forest Discovery Day

We supported the New Forest Discovery Day at Wilverley on 26 May that was convened by Forestry England and involved a variety of local wildlife organisations. Several VESPA participants attended one of the guided walks or the preceding recce, with highlights including a good show of Lesser Butterfly Orchids, a hunting Marsh Harrier, and several Nightjars and bats seen at dusk. A total of 355 species were recorded over the event.

Watching (and hearing) bats during the New Forest Nature Discovery Day on 26 May 2025

Furzey Gardens Bioblitz

Several VESPA participants supported the Furzey Gardens Bioblitz on 14 June, and a follow-up nocturnal survey on 29 June. The main event saw a wide range of animals and plants recorded while the nocturnal mothing survey produced about 80 moth species, with highlights included a Nightjar seen at dusk and the nationally rare Smudge-winged Comb-horn cranefly Ctenophora ornata attracted to light; a bat detector was also deployed and recorded five species including Serotine. In total, about 330 species of animal, plant, and fungus were recorded, and VESPA participants received training in invertebrate survey methods including sweep netting and moth trapping.

VESPA participants at a moth recording session at Furzey Gardens on 29 June 2025 

Moth recording WhatsApp group

We have established a WhatsApp group for a small group of local moth recorders who have the experience and equipment to undertake moth surveys on the open forest, and who are registered VESPA participants. There has been lots of good chat on the forum already, including sharing of sightings and survey methods, with significant records from (or close to) the open forest including Scarce Merveille du Jour, Dingy Mocha, Small Chocolate-tip, Olive Cresent, Smudge-winged Comb-horn cranefly, Lesser Cockroach, and the newly colonising ladybird Calvia decemguttata. We have also supported a local college student who is conducting a research project on New Forest moths as part of her A Level studies - the family have purchased a moth trap and have started operating it in their garden near Brockenhurst and have already recorded some notable species such as Blair’s Mocha, Festoon, Small Marbled, and Small Mottled Willow.

Smudge-winged Comb-horn cranefly at Furzey Gardens on 29 June 2025 

Going forwards, we hope to do some searches for free-living Honeybees in ancient woodlands later in the summer, and some fungi training and recording sessions in the autumn (to complement those provided by Hampshire Fungus Recording Group). We also hope to be able to offer training in specialist freshwater plants in partnership with Freshwater Habitats Trust.