Forest appeal beats target

Volunteers are back out conserving the New Forest, boosted by public donations and a grant from the New Forest Trust.

The Trust teamed up with the New Forest National Park Authority to launch an appeal to get volunteers back outside to help care for the New Forest and to increase their numbers.

The Trust appealed to members of the public for donations and £8,743 was raised, beating the target of £5,000.

Volunteers do critical work in the New Forest, including conserving woodlands, creating hedgerows, planting trees and carrying out surveys, and the grant will help pay for coordination, training and equipment.

William Ziegler, Chairman of the New Forest Trust, thanked everyone who donated and said: “We were enormously pleased by the response of the public to this appeal, which will help the work of the volunteers, who are helping many projects of both long and short importance to the New Forest, continue.”