New Forest (landscape)
New Forest ( New Forest ) is a landscape that is the largest undeveloped remaining area with pasture land, heathland and old-growth forest in the densely populated south of England covers. The New Forest area spans south-west Hampshire and parts of south Wiltshire and east Dorset . The New Forest National Park lies largely in Hampshire, a small part in Wiltshire. Also, the New Forest is a district of Hampshire that encompasses most of the forest as well as some neighboring areas.
history
Like most of Britain, the New Forest was originally forested, but was partially cleared as early as the Stone and Bronze Ages in order to use the area for agriculture. However, the poor quality of the soil meant that the land turned into a heather landscape.
In 1079 the New Forest was declared a royal forest for deer hunting by William I of England . It is first mentioned as Nova Foresta in the Domesday Book of 1086. The inhabitants of 66 localities were expelled. Wilhelm's successor, William Rufus, died in a mysterious hunting accident on August 2nd, 1100 in the New Forest. The presumed accident site is now marked by a stone known as the Rufus Stone . Around 90 percent of the New Forest still belongs to the British Crown . Since 1923, the ownership of land by the Forestry Commission ( Forestry Office administers). About 50 percent of the royal land lies within the new national park .
Over time, the New Forest became an important supplier of timber for the Royal Navy and the reforestation of the deforested areas began. The great storm of 1703 destroyed around 4,000 oaks.
Its use by the navy affected the rights of the local population. In 1877 the British Parliament passed a law that established their rights, the New Forest Act . It affirmed the historic rights of the residents and forbade that more than 16,000 acres (65 km²) may ever be separated. The already existing Court of Verderers was changed in such a way that it now represents the interests of the citizens and no longer those of the Crown.
During the First World War , the logging of the deciduous trees and reforestation with conifers began to meet the wood requirements of the war. There were further interventions during the Second World War . Today, this process is reversed by replacing coniferous forest with deciduous forest or heathland. Other New Forest Acts followed in 1949, 1964 and 1970. In 1971, the New Forest was designated an Area of Special Scientific Interest, and in 1992 it was given the status of New Forest Heritage Area . In the meantime 571 km² have been declared a national park.
The Warwickslade Cutting Railway operated here in the 19th and 20th centuries .
Rights of residents
The New Forest laws were enacted to protect the area as royal stag hunting and offenses against royal stags or their food were severely punished. Over time, the residents were granted special rights: grazing rights for ponies, cattle, donkeys (and earlier also sheep), collecting wood, cutting ferns as litter (from September 29th), cutting peat, mining clay and fattening pigs with acorns and beechnuts in between September and November.
geography
Overview
The New Forest Site of Special Scientific Interest extends over nearly 300 km² and is the largest contiguous area without arable farming in the flatlands of the British Isles. It includes about
- 146 km² deciduous forest
- 118 km² of heather and grassland
- 33 km² of wetlands and marshland
- 84 km² of tree planting since the 18th century (including 80 km² planted by the Forestry Commission since the 1920s).
Two rivers drain the New Forest south, the Lymington River and the Beaulieu River .
Localities
The towns in or on the New Forest include Lyndhurst , which sees itself as the capital of the New Forest, Brockenhurst , Fordingbridge , Ringwood , Beaulieu and Lymington . Bournemouth is on the western edge and Southampton to the east . The landscape is namesake for the District New Forest in Hampshire .
New Forest National Park
In 1999, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott announced that the Countryside Agency was considering declaring the New Forest a national park. On March 1, 2005, Minister of Agriculture Alun Michael signed the deed of dedication to the national park. The national park administration was created on April 1, 2005 and received its full rights on April 1, 2006. The park covers 571 km².
Web links
- English
Coordinates: 50 ° 52 ′ 0 ″ N , 1 ° 34 ′ 0 ″ W.