This Group has been formed to work in close partnership with New Milton Town Council and the New Forest Land Advisory Council to develop an environmental management plan for the future of Long Meadow. The Group is seeking to involve the whole community, to ensure the Meadow remains as a natural open space which we can all enjoy and value.


Wednesday 6 August 2014

UPDATE ON THE MANAGEMENT OF BARTON COMMON


Barton Common is now part of New Milton Town Council Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) Scheme.  This means that over the coming years the Common will start to be environmentally managed via a cutting and grazing regime that will encourage a diverse number of species to thrive on the Common.

Update 4th August 2014

Next week, 6 New Forest ponies will be released on to Barton Common.  These grazing animals will be on site all year round and will help manage the Common by controlling the grass and scrub.  Some animals may be taken off site and others may be brought in depending on seasonal and ground conditions throughout the year.

The ponies will be checked on a regular basis by their owners who are New Forest Commoners.  If you visit Barton Common regularly would you like to help by keeping an eye on the animals, gates and fences to check they are o.k.?  If so, we can train you as a "looker" which will help to ensure that any issues can be addressed as soon as possible.  We will be running an evening training session with the grazier soon after the animals have been put out.

In the winter, New Milton Council will be undertaking scrub clearance (including willow, birch and gorse) on Barton Common in order to create a more open habitat of value to wildlife.  This work will take place between 1st October 2014 and 28th February 2015 to avoid disturbance to nesting birds and will largely be carried out by contractors with help from our volunteers as much as possible.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

If you are interested in finding out more or would like to get involved in some way in the wildlife conservation of the common or other sites in New Milton please contact Angela Peters at the New Forest Land Advice Service on 01590 646654 or 07880197351 angela.peters@nflandadvice.org.uk or New Milton Council 01425 619120 or Long Meadow & Barton Common Community Group at contact@longmeadowcommunitygroup.com

*************************************************************

The ponies will be released at 2.30 p.m. on Wednesday 13th August 2014.  If you are interested please come along for this momentous occasion.