£4.4m Our Future, Our Past scheme restores 320 football pitches of lost habitats in New Forest

A MULTI-MILLION-POUND scheme aimed at boosting communities and wildlife in the New Forest has finished.

During its time the Our Past, Our Future (OFOP) landscape partnership scheme restored the equivalent of 320 football pitches of lost habitats.

Led by the national park authority in partnership with 10 other organisations, the £4.4m project was launched in 2015.

Among the initiatives its 2,000 volunteers carried out was removing huge swathes of invasive non-native plants to encourage wildflowers, while at the National Trust’s Foxbury site, near Bramshaw Common, 20,000 native trees were planted.

The result has been a huge increase in the amount of butterflies, bees and birds visiting the areas.

Patrick Heneghan, chair of OPOF, said: "Right from the start I have been struck by the huge importance and value to the New Forest of the 21 projects being undertaken.

"As well as the incredible scope of work, particularly impressive has been the commitment and common sense of purpose demonstrated by a diverse range of partners.

“I would like to take this opportunity to pass on my appreciation to all those organisations that have provided funding, to those partners who have led the various projects and, very importantly, to all the local community volunteers who have turned out in such numbers to do so much of the physical work needed to make the projects successful."

A total of 108 historic monuments were also restored, while at one site in Beaulieu a ring ditch dating back 4,000 years to the Bronze Age was discovered.

The initiative also involved teaching new skills and inspiring a generation of youngsters to care for the Forest.

Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, 270,000 people learned about commoning.

More than 13,000 people also found out more about the Forest through special events such as walking festivals, tours, exhibitions and family activities.

Three permanent new wild play areas have been created in partnership with parish councils, and eight trainee Forest rangers were hired on paid apprenticeships.

Rachael Gallagher, NPA delivery manager of OPOF, said: “The scheme has been a fantastic opportunity for communities, organisations, stakeholders, landowners and volunteers to work together to help protect the heritage of the New Forest for the future."

Local public bodies were involved in the project alongside the Beaulieu Estate, the Commoners Defence Association, the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, and New Forest Heritage Centre.

For more information about the scheme visit www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/opof