Pine Martens Thrive Among 40 Rare Species in New Forest
New Forest is home to 40 rare species, including pine martens and unique fungi
New Forest, Hampshire, Pine Martens, Rare Species, Biodiversity
New Forest: Exciting news! Pine martens and 39 other rare species are thriving here. Trail cameras revealed a new hotspot for pine martens. Plus, researchers found a new fungus and a pond with Hampshire purslane, a rare aquatic plant.
These discoveries came from surveys by Wild New Forest last year. They’re part of the Species Survival Fund, which aims to restore habitats and protect species. The surveys took place at ten sites around the New Forest National Park.
About 860 species were recorded, including 370 animals, 265 plants, and 225 fungi. Prof. Russell Wynn, Director of Wild New Forest, noted this is just five percent of the total species in the area, which is a biodiversity hotspot.
Encouragingly, there were 150 records of 36 priority species that are nationally rare or scarce. Many of these species, like goshawks and wood crickets, are familiar in the New Forest.
Some surprising finds included a new fungus species for Hampshire and the rare Hampshire purslane. The £1.3 million project is enhancing 250 hectares of land for nature with landowners across 25 sites.
Prof. Wynn mentioned that some survey sites already have high-quality habitats. However, there are concerns about habitat degradation from non-native species and livestock grazing changes.
Without action, vulnerable habitats and their species could be lost in a few years. Habitat restoration work will start soon, and repeat surveys will assess the impact later this year.