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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.

This report aims to summarise some of the notable wildlife sightings and conservation news in the New Forest National Park in May 2025. To contribute to future editions, please contact the New Forest Biodiversity Forum Chair ( russ@wildnewforest.org.uk ).   Notable wildlife sightings Met Office data indicate it was the second warmest May on record based on mean temperature, but the warmest ever based on mean maximum daytime temperature (which excludes the lower temperatures during cool clear nights). Southern England received less than half the average May rainfall, and it was the third sunniest May on record. Overall, the spring period (March to May) has been the warmest and sunniest on record in England, and the driest for over 50 years.   Avian highlights included a Black Stork drifting west over Acres Down on 04 May (potentially the same as that reported on 19 April) and a first-summer male Red footed Falcon at Pig Bush on 06 May, while both Cattle and Great White Egret were seen in the Avon Valley. Up to four Spoonbills lingered in the Lymington-Hurst area, with other notable sightings there in the first half of May including a pair of Garganey, two Curlew Sandpipers, Little Stint, Wood Sandpiper, Short-eared Owl, and Turtle Dove, while an unseasonal Long-tailed Duck was on Normandy Lagoon at the end of the month. Sea-watching was largely unexceptional in the settled conditions, but a total of 18 Pomarine Skuas were seen from coastal sites. Unfortunately, there was no repeat of the Roseate Terns breeding on Normandy Lagoon, with just a single bird observed on several dates (often chased away by Common Terns). Chris Roseveare’s monthly overview of bird sightings in the Sway and Brockenhurst area during May is available here . Red-footed Falcon at Pig Bush on 06 May 2025 (photo: Chris Rose)  Little Tern at the New Forest coast on 28 May 2025 (photo: Steve Laycock)   The moth highlight was the discovery of a population of Flame Wainscot in a coastal reedbed, with five caught over three nights in the second half of May; these are the first records for the New Forest and the first evidence for an established population in Hampshire (although it is present in Dorset). Another moth highlight was a specimen of the day-flying Coppice Beauty Olethreutes arcuella that was photographed in the New Forest on 19 May. Flame Wainscot at the New Forest coast in May 2025 (photo: Bob Chapman)   Coppice Beauty in the New Forest on 19 May 2025 (photo: Marion Nesbitt) It was a good month for sightings of warmth-loving insects, with multiple reports of nationally rare beetles such as Six-spotted Longhorn Beetle, the soldier beetle Cerapheles terminatu s, and the various bright red Ampedus click beetles including A. cinnabarinus , A. elongatulus , A. quercicola , and A. sanguinolentus . Two nationally rare and recent colonists in the form of Eurasian Scentless Plant Pug Brachycarenus tigrinus and White-shouldered Shieldbug Dryoderes umbraculatus were recorded in a garden in Woodlands, with White-clouded Longhorn Beetle and Hawk’s-beard Mining Bee Andrena fulvago also found there. The Orange-sided Comb-horn cranefly Ctenophora pectinicornis ,  the Anthracine Hoverfly Psilota anthracina , and the Small-headed Hoverfly Pocota personata were found in ancient woodland by surveyors conducting Green Forest Hoverfly fieldwork, while a specimen of the extremely rare bug Notochilus limbatus at Turf Hill appears to be the first UK record for over 50 years. Finally, Scarce Chaser dragonflies were widely reported around the fringes of the New Forest and are clearly spreading into damp meadow habitats. White-shouldered Shieldbug in a Woodlands garden on 04 May 2025 (photo: Russell Wynn)   Small-headed Hoverfly in the New Forest on 11 May 2025 (photo: Russell Wynn) The rare bug Notochilus limbatus at Turf Hill on 23 May 2025 (photo: Jonty Denton)   The dry weather meant that fungi sightings were few and far between, but a specimen of Plantpot Dapperling Leucocoprinus birnbaumii found indoors in a pot plant on 31 May may be the first New Forest record.   Plantpot Dapperling in the New Forest on 31 May 2025 (photo: Chris Welch) Wildlife and conservation news Southern Water have responded to public outrage about the level of combined sewer overflow discharges into New Forest rivers and are now investing in upgrading infrastructure at waste-water treatment works, as well as funding underpinning research into ecological impacts of discharges and assessing other solutions to reduce surface run-off from local towns and villages. An update on some of this work is available here .   A new peat map has been published for England here , which highlights the importance of the New Forest in a central southern England context. However, close scrutiny by experienced local ecologists has revealed various inaccuracies, which will hopefully be rectified in future versions.   Screengrab of the online England Peat Map showing the regional importance of the the New Forest The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) have recently released the results of the 2024 Breeding Bird Survey here . Some of the key findings are highly relevant to the New Forest, such as the recent rapid increases of Egyptian Goose and Marsh Harrier at wetland sites, the long-term sustained increases in breeding Blackcap, Cetti’s Warbler, Chiffchaff, Goldfinch, and Stonechat, the near extinction of Little Owl, Nightingale, Wood Warbler, and Yellowhammer as breeding species in the New Forest, and potential colonisation of the New Forest by Red Kite and Ring-necked Parakeet.   Many thanks as always to all those who contributed their observations and images to the various online portals that provide source material for these reports, particularly Going Birding , Hampshire Fungus Recording Group , and the Wild New Forest and Hantsmoths Facebook sites.

New Forest Raptor Monitoring Group (NFRMG) 04 June 2025 Spring 2025 has been predominantly warm and dry and has enabled fieldwork to progress relatively unhindered. That said, the weather turned more unsettled just when we began our climbing and ringing!   The fieldwork year always starts with Goshawk, as this is the earliest of our raptors to begin breeding. With just over 60 nest sites to check, and a large programme of forest operations this spring, we have been busy finding and then monitoring nests, rescheduling forest operations, and then revisiting all sites to try and gauge the hatching dates for each nest for climbing and ringing.   With the Goshawk population on the New Forest Crown Lands now stable at around 45 breeding pairs, and a further handful where only a single bird has been holding territory, our early observations looked comparable with 2024, further confirming this population assumption (we have also looked at the number of breeding territories off the Crown Lands and estimate a minimum of 75 territories in the New Forest National Park.   We began ringing on 20 May, but it soon became evident that nesting was protracted and eventually spanned a period of five weeks. Productivity to date seems markedly lower than last year and failures appear higher too. To date we have only ringed 34 chicks against last year’s total of 97 chicks. We have several nests still to visit, so at this stage it’s uncertain what the final total will be. Goshawk chicks ready for colour ringing (photo: NFRMG)  Colour-ringed Goshawk chicks back in the nest (photo: NFRMG)  Unfortunately, our plans to satellite tag some young Goshawk chicks this year have not been possible due to concerns from the BTO Special Methods team around the suitability of some of the tags on the market which were not conveyed to us early enough to look at alternatives. We do, however, continue to receive a trickle of reports supported by photographic evidence of some of last year’s colour ringed young birds, both within the New Forest and further afield in Hampshire.   In terms of other raptors, we are just resuming our Common Buzzard survey work, but already we are seeing similarities with the Goshawk and several breeding attempts appear to have been abandoned. Reports from fieldworkers in other areas show similar trends.   This spring has seen a real increase in reports of Red Kite in the New Forest and earlier in the spring we were excited to hear of birds displaying and carrying nest material close to the boundary of the Crown Lands. This optimism was dashed with the finding of two dead Red Kites in the same area in the following weeks (see pics below). The first was found by one of our NFRMG volunteers, and the other was found by a participant in the New Forest Volunteer Ecological Surveyor Programme (VESPA), highlighting the importance of having keen volunteers on the ground. Although the cause of death of both birds is unknown, bird flu is still present in the New Forest area and raptors are also still succumbing to trichomonosis caught from the prey species they eat. Dead Red Kite found on 06 April 2025 (photo: Alex Yates/NFRMG)    Dead Red Kite found on 30 May 2025 (photo: Colin Easton)    Sparrowhawks continue to remain at lower population levels than they were prior to Goshawks returning to the New Forest, but we have more work to do on this species. We have reports of Peregrine breeding at two sites on the Crown Lands and Marsh Harriers are now making frequent hunting excursions onto the heaths from breeding sites around the coast adding to the predation pressure on our few remaining breeding Curlews and Lapwing.   The good weather saw the early arrival of Honey Buzzards from spring migration, but indications so far are that the local population remains at a low ebb. It has been nice to see that the colour ringed male Honey Buzzard (KJ) has returned for a sixth year and is hopefully going to breed again, having been ringed himself in the New Forest in 2015. Hobbies are present at a handful of sites but again are far lower than historically. It is very early days for both the above species, and we will provide further details in our end-of-season update.   Finally, we have helped deliver two training courses on breeding raptors for forestry workers and two educational experiences for young members of Hampshire Ornithological Society (HOS), as well as working with local wildlife film maker Matt Roseveare to put together a short visual piece on our work.   The New Forest Raptor Monitoring Programme forms part of the New Forest Biodiversity Forum and is sponsored by Kairos Philanthropy Fund and delivered in partnership with Forestry England.

This report aims to summarise some of the notable wildlife sightings and conservation news in the New Forest National Park in April 2025. To contribute to future editions, please contact the New Forest Biodiversity Forum Chair ( russ@wildnewforest.org.uk ).   Notable wildlife sightings Most of April was again dominated by high pressure, and as a result it was the sunniest April on record and the third warmest, with warm, sunny days but clear and rather cool nights. It was also very dry, with only about half the expected rainfall in our region. Wind speeds were mostly low, although 81mph was recorded over at The Needles (Isle of Wight) on 16 April.   An interesting selection of rare and scarce migrant birds was reported during April. A drake Green-winged Teal was at Keyhaven Marshes from 02-05 Apr and a female Bluethroat was reported there on 20 Apr, with two Great White Egrets over Lower Pennington Lane on the same date. A Black Stork was reported from a New Forest site on 19 Apr. A Kentish Plover seen in flight at Hurst Castle on 30 Apr was retrospectively identified from photos, while an influx of Common Sandpipers on the same date saw ten at Hatchet Pond and eight at Fawley Refinery. Drake Green-winged Teal at Keyhaven Marshes on 05 Apr 2025 (photo: Steve Laycock)   Kentish Plover (with Dunlin) at Hurst Castle on 30 Apr 2025 (photo: Jeremy Mcclements)   Spoonbill numbers in the Lymington-Hurst area decreased to three, and there was a scattering of White-tailed Eagle reports including three together over Rowbarrow on 09 Apr (mobbed by two Ravens, a Buzzard, and a Kestrel). Migrant Grasshopper Warblers and Wood Sandpipers were at Lepe and Keyhaven, and a Ring Ouzel was inland at Black Knowl on 15 Apr. A record influx of Hoopoes failed to penetrate the national park boundary, although singles were seen nearby at Dibden Purlieu and Barton-on-Sea. One, possibly two, singing male Black Redstarts were at Calshot on 11-13 Apr. Sea-watching was largely uneventful, although four Pomarine Skuas passed Hurst on 26 Apr. Non-native Egyptian Geese now seem to be well established in the New Forest, with numerous reports of breeding pairs at and near to the coast.   New Forest Raptor Monitoring Group members found a dead Red Kite in the northern New Forest on 06 Apr, close to an area where three were seen displaying in March and where a pair subsequently appeared to be attempting nesting. One of the team also recorded some great images of a Goshawk taking a Woodpigeon on 20 Apr. Red Kite found dead in the northern New Forest on 06 Apr 2025 (photo: Alex Yates / New Forest Raptor Monitoring Group)   Goshawk taking a Woodpigeon on 20 Apr 2025 (photo: Alex Yates / New Forest Raptor Monitoring Group)   Invertebrates included the first New Forest record of the pincer wasp Dryinus collaris , while a Lichen Running Spider was an unusual find in a garden polytunnel at Woodlands on 27 Apr. Female pincer wasp Dryinus collaris on 19 Apr 2025 (photo: Paul Brock) Lichen Running Spider at Woodlands on 27 Apr 2025 (photo: Russell Wynn)   Several intrepid Hampshire Fungus Recording Group (HFRG) surveyors targeted Dwarf Gorse pods at Picket Plain on 19 Apr in search of the rare smut fungus Thecaphora ulicis and were rewarded with two infected pods, the first UK records since they were found there in 1982. The only other notable fungus report was a cluster of over 80 Spring Funnels Bonomyces sinopicus at a burn site where they were first recorded last year. Notable plants included Jersey Cudweed at Sowley on 25 Apr, which appears to be one of the first New Forest records of this formerly very rare but now rapidly increasing species. Spring Funnels on 22 Apr 2025 (photo: Holly Fitzgerald)   Jersey Cudweed at Sowley on 25 Apr 2025 (photo: Russell Wynn)   Wildlife and conservation news The prolonged period of dry and sunny spring weather saw numerous wildfires reported across the country, including several on the Dorset heathlands, but the only significant event in the New Forest concerned one at Calshot on 05 Apr (see here ).   More positive news came from the lower Lymington River, where Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust recently purchased an 11-hectare Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) that connects to the existing Lymington Reedbeds Nature Reserve (see here ).   A new paper on the significance of pine for beetles in the New Forest has recently been published by Paul Brock and Howard Mendel and is available here .   Many thanks as always to all those who contributed their observations and images to the various online portals that provide source material for these reports, particularly Going Birding , Hampshire Fungus Recording Group , and the Wild New Forest and Hantsmoths Facebook sites.

This report aims to summarise some of the notable wildlife sightings and conservation news in the New Forest National Park in March 2025. To contribute to future editions, please contact the New Forest Biodiversity Forum Chair ( russ@wildnewforest.org.uk ).   Notable wildlife sightings With high pressure in control, March was exceptionally dry, with less than 20% of the average rainfall for the month. Sunshine hours were the highest since records began and temperatures were slightly above average overall, but this masked a difference between cold (and often frosty) nights and clear sunny days with light winds.   Perhaps unusually for March, it was a micro-moth that provided one of the wildlife highlights, with a specimen of the Desert Pearl Cornifrons ulceratalis taken at light at Ashurst on 22 Mar. This is a migrant species from North Africa, and it occurred during a period of warm southerly winds and Saharan dust (high numbers had also been reported in southern Spain in the previous days). There have been just two previous Hampshire records, both during an influx in late 2015, including one at Lymington, but this latest record appears to be the first within the New Forest National Park boundary. Desert Pearl (Cornifrons ulceratalis) at Ashurst on 22 Mar 2025 (photo: Keith Godfrey)   Another interesting batch of fungi DNA samples have emerged from Hampshire Fungus Recording Group (supported by sponsorship from the NFBF) and relate to several specimens found last autumn. A small wood-rotting shield fungus found on decaying Beech on 08 Sept 2024 was thought at the time to be Pluteus podospileus , but a recent paper has split out several new species and the DNA analysis suggests a match with Pluteus fuscodiscus , which is yet to be officially recorded in the UK. In addition, a specimen identified from DNA as Conocybe (Pholiotina) dentatomarginata that was found at Green Hill Farm (Landford) on 31 Oct 2024 appears to be the first record for Wiltshire and the New Forest.   Pluteus fuscodiscus on 08 Sept 2024 (photo: Russell Wynn)   A first-winter Least Sandpiper at Needs Ore on 22-23 Mar was originally found in Somerset on 02 Jan, where it remained until 06 Mar. After its appearance at Needs Ore, it was subsequently relocated further east at Medmerry RSPB in West Sussex on 02 Apr. Further details here . If accepted, this will be the first New Forest record (although an adult found by an experienced observer in autumn 2005 at Pennington Marshes was not accepted by the national rarities committee). Up to nine wintering Spoonbills and two Water Pipits remained in the Lymington-Hurst area, and there were regular sightings of at least three different White-tailed Eagles. A Great White Egret was a good inland find at Hursthill Inclosure on 31 Mar. Incoming summer migrants included a pair of Little Ringed Plovers at Keyhaven Marsh on 14 Mar and an Osprey heading up the Lymington River on 16 Mar. A Barnacle Goose was at Normandy Marsh on 14 Mar and a Ruddy Shelduck was reported at East End, Sowley on 17 Mar, although both records probably relate to ‘feral’ birds. Finally, Chris Roseveare’s birding update from his local Setley-Sway patch in March 2025 is available here .   Immature White-tailed Eagle being pursued by a Lapwing on 21 Mar 2025 (photo: John Coombes)   Sad news concerned a male Peregrine that was colour-ringed as a chick at Keyhaven in 2019 and was subsequently seen around Woodlands and Ashurst for several years - it was taken into care at Southampton Docks in early March with a head injury but died overnight. Given the location and date, it was most likely a casualty of a territorial dispute with another Peregrine. This was certainly a feisty bird - as an immature it was seen defending its winter territory from all-comers, including an escaped Eagle Owl!   Colour-ringed Peregrine 'TFF' in immature plumage on 19 May 2020 (photo: Russell Wynn)   In happier news, the New Forest Raptor Monitoring Group (NFRMG) have recently received several reports of immature Goshawks that were colour-ringed as chicks in the New Forest last year. Some of these reports have come from farmland sites around the southern fringe of the forest and represent local dispersal, but one came from further afield just east of Winchester on 21 Mar. A new paper documenting post-fledging movements of Goshawks in lowland England has recently been published here , highlighting the importance of farmland habitats for immature birds. NFRMG members have also been following up on some interesting adult Red Kite activity that may indicate breeding on or very close to the Crown Lands; although Red Kites are now suspected to be breeding at a few sites around the forest fringe, there are no confirmed records on the Crown Lands in the modern era.   In other news, the nationally scarce Ant-mimic Jumping Spider Synageles venator is confirmed to be established in Woodlands, with several individuals seen in March following one seen there last spring. And by the end of March, the indefatigable volunteers at Ringwood and Poulner Toad Patrol had saved 382 Common Toads, 22 Common Frogs and 143 Palmate/Smooth newts, compared to 70 that were recorded as killed by traffic. Screengrab from Wild New Forest social media showing the results of Ringwood and Poulner Toad Patrol up to the end of March 2025   Wildlife and conservation news In recent months, there has been an unwelcome stream of national and regional news items regarding cuts to conservation and land management organisations, with the latest being a 9% cut to the core funding provided to National Parks. A response from National Parks England is available here . In addition, history has unfortunately repeated itself with the Main Committee of the local branch of Butterfly Conservation all resigning in response to restructuring decisions made by Head Office, including the loss of all reserves officers (the same thing happened a few years ago).    Finally, many thanks as always to all those who contributed their observations and images to the various online portals that provide source material for these reports, particularly Going Birding , Hampshire Fungus Recording Group , and the Wild New Forest and Hantsmoths Facebook sites.

This report aims to summarise some of the notable wildlife sightings and conservation news in the New Forest National Park in February 2025. To contribute to future editions, please contact the New Forest Biodiversity Forum Chair ( russ@wildnewforest.org.uk ).   Notable wildlife sightings February was a rather unremarkable month for weather in the New Forest, with temperature and rainfall about average overall, and sunshine a little below average (contributing to the general feeling that this winter has been rather gloomy). However, this masked a cooler first half of the month and milder second half, as the wind veered from east to west.   Scarlet (or Ruby) Elf Cup on 23 Feb 2025 (photo: Marion Nesbitt) Aside from the now regular sightings of White-tailed Eagles and Spoonbills, there were few ornithological highlights during February. At least three White-tailed Eagles were seen at various coastal and inland sites, and up to 20 Spoonbills continued to spend the winter at the coast between Calshot and Hurst. The coastal strip also produced records of several notable winter visitors including Black-throated Diver, Great Northern Diver, four Slavonian Grebes, Velvet Scoter, Spotted Redshank, Little Gull, Short-eared Owl, and Black Redstart. A nice colour-ring observation relates to a Curlew ringed as a chick in The Netherlands on 15 June 2023 that was photographed on the Beaulieu River on 02 Feb. Inland, a sighting of two Ring-necked Parakeets at Acres Down on 17 Feb was notable (and unwelcome!). Colour-ringed Curlew on 02 Feb 2025, ringed as a chick in The Netherlands on 15 June 2023 (photo: Peter Gloyns) In other news, the first Adders were reported on 19 Feb, while the heroic efforts of Ringwood and Poulner Toad Patrol saw 199 Common Toads saved between 26 Jan and 23 Feb, as well as ten Common Frogs and 106 Palmate/Smooth newts. These numbers compare to 23 Common Toads and 12 Palmate/Smooth Newts lost as road casualties, indicating that an order of magnitude more amphibians were saved than were lost - a great result! Adders on 27 Feb 2025 (photo: John Foreman)   Wildlife and conservation news The Environment Agency have purchased nearly 400 acres of farmland around Keyhaven (see here and here ), which follows the recent announcement that a wider land area here has been purchased as part of the Kingwell (Aubrey) Limited Natural Capital Scheme. This latest acquisition includes parts of the Avon Water and land around Aubrey and Vidle Van Farms, and is a key part of the Environment Agency’s Habitat Compensation Restoration Programme in the Hampshire/Sussex region. Although the land will remain in agricultural use for at least the next five years, it will gradually transition to an extensive area of managed habitat creation through a combination of habitat compensation work and the Natural Capital Scheme.   A new study (see here and here ) by Bournemouth University and the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) has revealed that Foxes in the New Forest are consuming significant quantities of human food waste, contributing to an artificially high population that is negatively impacting some species of breeding wader. The team analysed the stomach contents of 447 Foxes that were removed by local wildlife managers, and found that, on average, 14% of their diet was made of anthropogenic food sources. Scavenging of discarded food waste in bin bags was thought to be a significant contributor, but there is hope that an imminent transition to wheelie bins in the New Forest will help reduce this source.   A member of the Wild New Forest Facebook community posted the graph below showing the latest New Forest livestock numbers, based on the register of commoning ‘marking fees’ paid to the Verderers. Although not a direct measure of the actual numbers of livestock on the open forest, it nevertheless shows the ‘boom and bust’ of cattle numbers in the last decade in response to changing agri-environment payments, and the fact the pony numbers have shown a more gradual increase from 4500 to 5500. Graph showing proxy for New Forest livestock numbers, based on the Verderers marking register (provided by Tony Hockley)   Finally, many thanks as always to all those who contributed their observations and images to the various online portals that provide source material for these reports, particularly Going Birding , Hampshire Fungus Recording Group , and the Wild New Forest and Hantsmoths Facebook sites.

This report aims to summarise some of the notable wildlife sightings and conservation news in the New Forest National Park in January 2025. To contribute to future editions, please contact the New Forest Biodiversity Forum Chair ( russ@wildnewforest.org.uk ).   Notable wildlife sightings The year opened with a relatively cool, calm, and changeable month, with below average temperatures and windspeed, above average rainfall, and an average amount of sunshine in the New Forest area.   A Lesser Yellowlegs found at Keyhaven Marsh on 02 Jan kick-started the ornithological year and was regularly reported until 18 Jan - this is only the second mid-winter record for Hampshire of this rare trans-Atlantic vagrant. The New Forest coast struck again on 12 Jan when a male Ferruginous Duck was located with Tufted Ducks on Normandy Lagoon, but it soon moved eastwards and was relocated on Brownwich Pond (near Titchfield) the following day; this is presumed to be the same bird as that seen on 19 Jan 2024, which also quickly relocated to Brownwich Pond. Other notable sightings in the Lymington-Hurst area included Red-necked Grebe, Short-eared Owl, and Water Pipit, two Slavonian Grebes, three juvenile White-tailed Eagles, and up to 20 Spoonbills. Lepe produced Red-necked Grebe, Black-necked Grebe, and two Slavonian Grebes, with a Great White Egret and up to seven Spoonbills there, and a flock of about 50 Barnacle Geese over on 04 Jan. The only notable inland record was a Great White Egret at Fulliford Passage on 12 Jan.   Lesser Yellowlegs at Keyhaven Marsh on 02 Jan 2025 (photo: Steve Laycock) As expected for the time of year, there were few other notable wildlife reports, although the first frogspawn was seen on 24 Jan and a Common Lizard was photographed on 31 Jan. Common Lizard on 31 Jan 2025 (photo: Keith Mantle)   Wildlife and conservation news The Solent State of Nature Report was released in Jan 2025 by the Solent Seascape Project. The report can be accessed here and highlights the international importance of the Solent for wintering and breeding birds, and as a nursery area for fish, rays, and sharks. The report also documents the alarming decline of oyster reef, saltmarsh, and seagrass meadow habitats in the region, but encouragingly highlights current initiatives to restore these habitats.     Two interesting scientific papers documenting the potential environmental impacts of dogs were picked up by national and specialist media in Jan 2025. There is already increasing awareness of the issue of pesticides associated with spot-on flea treatments for dogs getting into rivers and ponds, but a new study has shown that these pesticides can also impact birds when the treated hairs are used as nest material. Researchers from University of Sussex revealed that the commonest chemicals used in spot-on treatments (fipronil and imidacloprid) were prevalent in bird’s nests, and that higher levels were associated with increased mortality of eggs and chicks. Given that piles of discarded dog hair (from grooming) are regularly found around New Forest car parks, these results are alarming and highlight the need for greater awareness of the potential environmental risks of spot-on treatments. National media coverage and the original paper can be found her e and here .   A more familiar issue relates to dogs off leads and potential disturbance to ground-nesting birds. A novel GPS tracking study in lowland heathland habitats in southern England, reported here and here , found that a majority of tracked dogs were walked off-lead in the bird breeding season, even when signs were present requesting that dogs were kept on a lead, and that this greatly increased the area disturbed by dogs - at one site the researchers reported that over 90% of the area was disturbed by dogs, greatly eroding its conservation value .”       Finally, many thanks as always to all those who contributed their observations and images to the various online portals that provide source material for these reports, particularly Going Birding , Hampshire Fungus Recording Group , and the Wild New Forest and Hantsmoths Facebook sites.

This report aims to summarise some of the notable wildlife sightings and conservation news in the New Forest National Park in December 2024. To contribute to future editions, please contact the New Forest Biodiversity Forum Chair ( russ@wildnewforest.org.uk ).   Notable wildlife sightings December in the New Forest was relatively dull, mild, and dry, being the 6th warmest December on record (2.0oC warmer than the long term average) but with slightly below average rainfall and only half the average sunshine hours. Long-tailed Duck on 16 Dec 2024 (photo: Jeremy Mcclements)   The popular Long-tailed Duck continued at Lymington-Keyhaven Marshes, where there was also up to three White-tailed Eagles and a county record 34 Spoonbills (with up to seven Spoonbills also seen in the Inchmery-Lepe area). Also reported at Lepe was a flock of seven Grey Partridges on 04 Dec, although it is likely that these are birds released for shooting.   Spoonbills on 05 Dec 2024 (photo: Tim Kitts) For the second winter running there have been no reports of Great Grey Shrike in the New Forest, and very few records nationally, perhaps indicating that this iconic species is going extinct as a wintering species in our region - the drivers are thought to be related to declines in the breeding population and/or 'short stopping' linked to climate change (whereby wintering species benefit from milder winters by wintering closer to their breeding grounds). There is more positive news about some of our breeding Sandwich Terns, with several birds colour ringed as chicks at Lymington by New Forest Ringing Group being relocated at their wintering grounds thousands of kilometres to the south in Africa, including at sites in The Gambia and Namibia.   The latest batch of fungi DNA analyses conducted by Hampshire Fungus Recording Group (sponsored by the New Forest Biodiversity Forum) has produced another series of fascinating and at times flummoxing records! New species for Hampshire and the New Forest include Cortinarius huronensis , Cortinarius lacustris , Lurid Milkcap Lactarius luridus , Olive Earthtongue Microglossum rufescens , and a potential Psathyrella fusca , while several others including another potential first for Britain await further analysis. Also of note in early December was a field record by a HFRG member of the nationally rare ascomycete fungus Byssonectria terrestris , which also appears to be the first Hampshire and New Forest record. Cortinarius lacustris on 15 Oct 2024 (photo: Russell Wynn)   Wildlife and conservation news The 2024 New Forest Woodlark survey report has been published here and indicates a record total of 260 Woodlark breeding territories within the New Forest Special Protection Area, as well as a further 64 territories within the SPA that were recorded outside the formal survey, and another 19 in the New Forest outside the SPA (although given that territories are also found on private farmland this is likely to be an under-estimate). These results suggest the overall New Forest Woodlark population is now likely to be in excess of 350 territories. Even accounting for inevitable variations in survey coverage and effort, this is a significant and highly encouraging increase compared to previous surveys; this may be linked to milder winters increasing over-winter survival, and high grazing pressure and heathland restoration work improving and increasing the amount of available breeding habitat. Interestingly, it is noted in the report that Woodlarks seem to be more resistant to recreational disturbance and predation than other ground-nesting bird species (e.g. breeding waders). The volunteer-based survey was delivered by Hampshire Ornithological Society and was commissioned by Forestry England on behalf of the New Forest Higher Level Stewardship scheme partners. Woodlark at a heathland restoration site on 23 May 2024 (photo: Russell Wynn)   Wild New Forest Guided Tours have provided an update here on the fourth of year of their New Forest Pine Marten project, which is being conducted in partnership with Forestry England. The primary aim of the 2024 field season was to obtain DNA samples to assess population size, sex ratios, and genetic diversity. Unfortunately, deployment of baited hair tubes had limited success, but the team did obtain DNA from four roadkill specimens. Trail camera records included a female with distinctive bib markings that was first recorded in 2021.   A new paper led by a PhD student at Bournemouth University (and co-funded by GWCT) has  been published in the Journal of Avian Biology here , and relates to recent research on breeding Curlews in the New Forest. This species is undergoing ongoing rapid decline in our region, primarily due to low productivity related to predation of eggs and chicks by mammalian and avian predators. The research showed that Curlews prefer to breed in mire and wet heath habitats and were more likely to successfully hatch chicks in those habitats, whereas those breeding in the more extensive dry heath habitats suffered from increased predation. It was also noted that breeding Curlews avoided sites close to woodlands and major roads. Forestry England's ongoing heathland and wetland restoration work, combined with measures to reduce predation and recreational disturbance, appear to offer the best chance for this species to persist as a breeding bird in the New Forest. Curlew with crab prey at the New Forest coast on 15 Dec 2024 (photo: Yvonne Williams)   New Forest Ringing Group have produced a report here summarising the results of bird ringing in 2024 at Lymington-Keyhaven Marshes. A total of nearly 1100 birds of 52 species were ringed, in addition to 117 re-traps and controls. In addition to the Sandwich Terns mentioned above, a Little Tern ringed in April in The Gambia was back on Normandy Lagoon on 11 May, having travelled over 5050 km in just 38 days. Notable ringing records included a Pied Flycatcher, six juvenile Nightjars (indicating successful local breeding), 14 new Cetti’s Warblers, and a record number of 75 Long-tailed Tits.    Finally, many thanks as always to all those who contributed their observations and images to the various online portals that provide source material for these reports, particularly Going Birding , Hampshire Fungus Recording Group and the Fungi Recording Database of Britain and Ireland , and the Wild New Forest and Hantsmoths Facebook sites.

We are now inviting speakers for the 2025 New Forest Biodiversity Conference, which will be held on 04-05 March 2025 at Careys Manor Hotel in Brockenhurst. The 2025 conference will follow a similar format to the 2024 event, with a mix of standard 15-minute presentations, 5-minute flash talks, and a small number of keynote talks from invited speakers. To view the 2024 event programme, click here . Prof Adrian Newton talking on day one of the 2024 conference. For this edition, we are particularly keen to receive offers of presentations that relate to biodiversity and conservation updates from the New Forest National Park in calendar year 2024, although talks that provide wider spatial and temporal context will also be considered. One of the post-lunch workshops held during the 2024 conference. At this stage, we request that suggested titles, author(s), and a couple of lines of description are provided by email to the NFBF Chair at russ@wildnewforest.co.uk . The deadline for submissions is 12 Jan 2025, and the final programme will be developed following consultation with the NFNF Steering Group and Sponsors. We will subsequently request abstracts for all talks that are accepted for inclusion in the conference programme, and these will be made available online after the event. The abstracts and talks from the 2024 conference are available to view here . Finally, please note that conference registration will open in early January, but due to the limited capacity of 100 spaces the event will probably again be invite-only (although all speakers benefit from free registration).

This report aims to summarise some of the notable wildlife sightings and conservation news in the New Forest National Park in November 2024. To contribute to future editions, please contact the New Forest Biodiversity Forum Chair ( russ@wildnewforest.co.uk ).   Notable wildlife sightings Met Office data for November reveal it was a month of two halves, with the first half being dry, mild, and rather gloomy, and the second half being colder and unsettled with two named storms affecting the region; this meant that monthly metrics such as temperature, rainfall, and sunshine hours were about average overall.   The stormy weather associated with Storm Bert stirred things up at the coast, with the southwest corner of the New Forest producing some notable seabirds including Cory’s Shearwater, Little Auk, Little Gull, Velvet Scoter, Purple Sandpiper, and up to 50 Kittiwakes in the Hurst/Milford area on 23-25 Nov. A popular Long-tailed Duck arrived at Keyhaven Marsh on 15 Nov, and up to 24 Avocets, 15 Spoonbills, six Bearded Tits, five Goosanders, five Spotted Redshanks, and single Short-eared Owl, Ring Ouzel, and Water Pipit were also of note in the Lymington-Hurst area. Great White Egrets were seen at Hatchet Pond, Kings Hat, and Lepe (where a Black Redstart and Velvet Scoter were also seen). This colour-ringed Spoonbill (NC6U) was ringed in The Netherlands in summer 2022 and has spent much of the last three winters in the Lymington-Hurst area, returning to The Netherlands each summer (photo: Steve Laycock). Another Yellow-browed Warbler was the inland avian highlight, this one seen in sallows at Mill Lawn Brook on 03 Nov (although as this is <5km from the 23 Oct sighting at Longslade Bottom, the possibility of just one long-staying bird being involved can’t be ruled out). A nice account of autumn 2024 bird sightings on Chris Roseveare’s local patch between Brockenhurst and Sway can be found here .   Few notable invertebrates were recorded, but a late Painted Lady butterfly was seen at the New Forest coast on 26 Nov. This occurred at the same time as an influx of rare migrant moths into southern England, although they frustratingly missed the New Forest, with Levant Blackneck, Silver-striped Hawkmoth, and Golden Twin-spot all recorded at nearby sites. Two southern insect species that have recently established themselves in the New Forest are Variable Cockroach and the distinctive tachinid fly Ectophasia crassipennis - the former was found in a moth trap at Woodlands on 03 Nov and the latter was found parasitised by the ‘Zombie Fly Fungus’ Entomophthora muscae at a damp heathland site on 11 Nov. Ectophasia crassipennis parasitised by Zombie Fly Fungus (photo: Russell Wynn).   Fungi highlights during November included the first Hampshire and New Forest record of Woolly Rosette Cotylidia pannosa (only the 6th UK record this century) and the first New Forest record of Helvella atra (with the nationally rare Scaly Spark Flammulaster muricatus found at the same location). Woolly Rosette (photo: Holly Fitzgerald)   Helvella atra (photo: Marcus Ward)   An HFRG survey at Millyford Bridge produced the second Hampshire and first New Forest record of Mycena dasypus (confirmed with DNA), while another HFRG survey at a private site in the southern New Forest produced some nice colour in the form of Pink Waxcap Porpolomopsis calyptriformis and Violet Coral Clavaria zollingeri , both known from just a couple of sites in the New Forest, as well as Tricholoma batschii at its only known New Forest location.   Violet Coral at one of two New Forest sites where it was found this autumn (photo: Holly Fitzgerald)   In addition, DNA analysis of cryptic specimens recorded during HFRG surveys earlier in the autumn has revealed that an aldercap at Mark Ash Wood may be the first British record of Alnicola umbrina and a fibrecap recorded at Franchises Wood may be the first British record of Inocybe dodonbae . A further three HFRG survey specimens that are potential first New Forest records have also recently been identified through DNA analysis, these being Amanita huijsmanii , Inocybe gaiana , and Rosewood Brittlegill Russula melitodes . Potential Amanita huijsmanii (photo: Russell Wynn)   Wildlife and conservation news Details of the Keyhaven Natural Capital Scheme were released in November here , which will see 605 acres of farmland near Keyhaven allocated to a stacked Biodiversity Net Gain and Nitrate Mitigation scheme, to offset development elsewhere in the region. The scheme has been developed by the landowner (Kingwell) in partnership with New Forest District Council, New Forest National Park Authority, and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust (HIWWT), and the land will be managed by HIWWT to deliver the required uplift in biodiversity and water quality. The location provides an opportunity to connect to the existing Lymington-Keyhaven nature reserve to the east, and to provide new coastal grazing marsh to compensate for anticipated managed retreat along this coastline in response to ongoing sea-level rise.   The latest official Defra figures relating to wild bird populations in the UK make for predictably grim reading here , with ongoing overall declines and particularly alarming short-term declines of ~10% in both farmland and woodland birds, and also wintering waterbirds (see plots below). More encouraging is this Natural England blog here that outlines habitat creation work at North Solent NNR to support breeding seabirds, with installation of a tern raft in April leading to the first breeding of Common Terns there for about 20 years. A series of shingle islands have now been installed as part of the Solent Seascape Project, and the hope is that these will also attract breeding Little Terns in the future as well as providing habitat for wintering and passage waders.   Further positive news comes with the release of the 2022 report of the UK Rare Breeding Birds Panel here , which indicated that five new colonists or reintroduced species reached record levels, these being Mediterranean Gull, Spoonbill, Great White Egret, Little Egret, and White-tailed Eagle. The report also outlined how Goshawk, Marsh Harrier, and Osprey have recovered from historical persecution to reach record numbers in the modern era, and that the recent run of mild winters has seen Dartford Warbler and Woodlark reach their highest totals for a couple of decades. These results will be familiar to local ornithologists who, with a bit of luck, can now see all these species in a single day in the New Forest! Finally, the first UK breeding of Glossy Ibis, and potential colonisation of other species with a southern origin such as Black-winged Stilt, Bee-eater, Iberian Chiffcahff, and Baillon’s Crake, provide some pointers as to how our future avifauna might develop in response to ongoing climate change.   The 2023 Hampshire Moth Report has been published online here , and contains details of over 110,000 records for nearly 1400 species. The first Hampshire and New Forest records of Fir Carpet and Small Dotted Footman were notable, and a couple of rarely encountered micro-moths were also recorded as new to the New Forest, these being Bog Rush-moth Glyphipterix schoenicolella (based on larval feeding signs on Black Bog-rush) and Wood-rush Miner Elachista regificella (larval mines in Great Wood-rush). An adventive species, Fig-leaf Skeletoniser Choreutis nemorana , was found near Lymington and is the first for Hampshire and the New Forest. Large Yellow Underwing was the most commonly recorded moth, and it is noticeable that two non-native micro-moths, Light Brown Apple Moth and Box-tree Moth both featured in the top 10 (although as reported previously, the latter species appears to have suffered a dramatic fall in numbers this year).   A project led by the Species Recovery Trust that aims to reintroduce the New Forest Cicada hit the headlines here when a 12-year old Slovenian girl offered to help secure donor specimens when they emerge next spring - the larval offspring of these adult cicadas will then be released in the New Forest, although their long lifecycle means it will be several years before any adults emerge.   The New Forest Reptile Centre near Lyndhurst hosts a variety of native reptiles and amphibians, and it made the news here when its open-air enclosures suffered an apparent incursion by Brown Rats, although it’s not clear whether any of the captive animals were directly affected.   Finally, many thanks as always to all those who contributed their observations and images to the various online portals that provide source material for these reports, particularly Going Birding , the Fungi Recording Database of Britain and Ireland , and the Wild New Forest and Hantsmoths Facebook sites.

This report aims to summarise some of the notable wildlife sightings and conservation news in the New Forest National Park in October 2024. To contribute to future editions, please contact the New Forest Biodiversity Forum Chair ( russ@wildnewforest.co.uk ).   Notable wildlife sightings Met Office data for October indicate that, overall, it was slightly warmer than average and rainfall values were about normal, whereas sunshine hours and mean wind speed were below average.   October is often viewed as the prime month in the ornithological calendar, but this year was a relative disappointment for eager rarity hunters. A Bittern at Lymington Reedbeds on 15 Oct was the coastal highlight and a Yellow-browed Warbler at Longslade Bottom on 23 Oct was a notable inland find. Up to 16 Spoonbills and 15 Bearded Tits were seen in the Lymington-Hurst area, and there were several reports of White-tailed Eagles, Great White Egrets, and Water Pipits at the coast, and Ring Ouzels and Hen Harriers in the forest interior. A couple of flocks of Barnacle Geese probably related to feral rather than wild birds, with nine at Pennington Marshes on 23 Oct followed by a flock of around 50 over Yew Tree Heath on 27 Oct.   Purseweb Spider on 24 Oct 2024 (photo: Kathryn Crouch)   The second photo this year of the nationally scarce and rarely seen Purseweb Spider was posted on the Wild New Forest Facebook page on 24 Oct. Turning to moths, Radford’s Flame Shoulder now appears to be well established along the south coast, with an incredible 300 at Portland Bill on 09 Oct - it was therefore no surprise when a couple of specimens came to light in Woodlands in the first half of the month; there was also a scattering of other scarce but regular migrants at this location during October, including Blair’s Mocha, Delicate, Pearly Underwing, Scarce Bordered Straw, and Vestal.   Radford's Flame Shoulder on 02 Oct 2024 (photo: Russell Wynn)   Over 200 visitors attended the annual Hampshire Fungus Recording Group (HFRG) exhibition at the Reptile Centre on 26-28 Oct. Notable finds during the guided fungi walks included the first New Forest record of Marasmiellus villosipes , the relocation of Inocybe turfae following the first British record there last year, and some crowd pleasing specimens of Drumstick Truffleclub Tolypocladium capitatum parasitising Marbled False Truffle Elaphomyces muricatus . In addition, both Cortinarius pilatii and Goatcheese Webcap Cortinarius camphoratus were relocated at the same locations as the first confirmed Hampshire records in 2023.   Drumstick Truffleclub on 27 Oct 2024 (photo: Russell Wynn)   An HFRG survey at Blackwater Arboretum on 06 Oct produced a cluster of Prunes and Custard Tricholomopsis decora on rotting conifer - this uncommon species appears to be having a good year in the New Forest, with additional records coming from three other HFRG survey sites this autumn. Also of note was an apparent specimen of Ashen Knight Tricholoma virgatum and a variety of nice Cortinarius specimens were sampled for DNA analysis (results pending).   Elsewhere, there was an apparent upsurge in sightings of the photogenic Wrinkled Peach Rhodotus palmatus on dead and decaying Beech, while observations of rare species included the first New Forest record of Coprinopsis spelaiophila in a Beech rot-hole, the second New Forest record of Psathyrella pennata on bonfire charcoal at a heathland restoration site, the second and third New Forest records of Violet Coral Clavaria zollingeri , the second New Forest location for Flame Shield Pluteus aurantiorugosus , and a specimen of the red-listed Ashen Woodwax Hygrophorus mesotephrus (note that some identifications are subject to DNA analysis, and that information on status is based on records held by the FRDBI).   Wrinkled Peach on 21 Oct 2024 (photo: Steve Laycock)   Wildlife and conservation news ExxonMobil has withdrawn plans for a controversial Solent CO2 Pipeline Project (see here ), after concerns were raised during the public consultation. The three proposed pipeline routes would have taken CO2 from the Fawley oil refinery to a sub-seabed storage site in the English Channel, with one of the proposed routes covering a large area of designated habitat in the southern New Forest.   Following recent revelations about sewage and chemical pollution in New Forest waterbodies (see here and here ), a new study by University of York and the Rivers Trust has revealed alarming levels of pharmaceutical drugs in our rivers. In the New Forest, some pharmaceuticals were at levels that are potentially harmful to aquatic species. Further details here and here .   In more positive news, the Environment Agency has installed a multi-species fish pass on upper reaches of the Highland Water to improve access for sea trout and eels (see here ).   Finally, many thanks as always to all those who contributed their observations and images to the various online fora that provide source material for these reports, particularly Going Birding and the Wild New Forest and Hantsmoths Facebook sites.

The New Forest Biodiversity Forum is supporting the following postgraduate student project as part of the Strategic Research Programme: Project Title Assessing the evidence for smoke stimulation of UK heathland plant species   Supervisors Professor Claire Belcher – University of Exeter Dr Sarah Baker – University of Exeter   Project Partners New Forest Biodiversity Forum Location wildFIRE Lab, Department of Geography, Streatham Campus, University of Exeter.   The wildFIRE Lab at the University of Exeter is inviting applications for a 2-year MRes (Master's by Research) position that includes full UK (only) fees and a maintenance grant of £12,000 per annum to support the student from the New Forest Biodiversity Forum. The position is available to start in January 2025.   Project Description There is a wealth of evidence that indicates that plants have developed adaptations to help them survive fire. In some species, there is additional evidence that the acquisition of adaptive traits has not only been driven by fire but is required for the survival of the species. One key identifiable fire adapted trait is that of fire stimulated germination of seeds. The UK has a long history of land management practices using fire, particularly in upland and lowland heath, however species in these areas have never been tested for the presence or absence of smoke stimulation. This is problematic because it means that we are unaware of the extent to which populations of these species’ genetic diversity relies upon management fires for them to reproduce sexually rather than vegetatively. In times where traditional fire-based management practices are being called into question for a myriad of reasons (peatland debates, wildfire risk, smoke control etc.) it may mean that we could fail to adapt management requirements for these species effectively and bring about unforeseen biodiversity concerns in regions that host many of the UKs rare species and unique habitat. This research will allow us to determine whether smoke stimulated germination is present in keystone heathland plant species in the UK and in what regions this trait is present. The proposed project will run over a period of two years and support the training of a Master’s by Research (MRes) student who will be part of a larger team working on the impact of land management practices, including fire, on biodiversity in heathland and moorland landscapes. Applicants for this position must have obtained, or be about to obtain, a First or Upper Second-Class UK Honours degree, or the equivalent qualifications gained outside the UK, in an appropriate area of science, such as ecology, biology, geography, or linked environmental science.   Application Process In the application process you will be asked to upload several documents • CV • Letter of application (outlining your academic interests, prior research experience and reasons for wishing to undertake the project). • Transcript(s) giving full details of subjects studied and grades/marks obtained (this should be an interim transcript if you are still studying). • Names of two referees familiar with your academic work. You are not required to obtain references yourself. We will request references directly from your referees if you are shortlisted. • If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country you will need to submit evidence of your proficiency in English.   The closing date for applications is  midnight on Sunday 24th November 2024 (TBC).   An official web link to the advert that will include an application link will be provided in due course. Do lodge your interest with Claire Belcher in the interim and she will let you know when the link is live.   Interviews will be held on the University of Exeter Streatham Campus (arrangements for virtual interviews can be made if necessary).   If you have any general enquiries about the application process, please email  pgrenquiries@exeter.ac.uk  or phone 0300 555 60 60 (UK callers) +44 (0) 1392 723044 (EU/International callers)    Project-specific queries should be directed to the main supervisor, Professor Claire Belcher: c.belcher@exeter.ac.uk