New Forest to receive extra five-year funding
Funding for the scheme comes from the Rural Payments Agency
The New Forest Higher-level Stewardship (HLS) scheme has been extended for another five years, allowing one of England’s biggest agri-environment projects to continue.
The HLS scheme supports vital conservation work win the New Forest, helping to protect much of the New Forest National Park’s important wildlife and landscapes.
Originally launched in 2010 with a 10-year lifespan, the scheme has been rolled over on an annual basis since 2020 and the five-year extension allows projects like habitat restoration and archaeological protection to continue.
The project has so far brought almost £23 million into the Forest, with a further £2 million granted for each of the next five years.
HLS has been highly successful, returning 20 miles of artificially straightened streams to their natural courses, restoring wetland habitats to protect the south damselfly, as well as removing trees from plantations to allow rare open heathlands to thrive.
The Forest has also been part of educating the next generation, with more than 18,000 children visiting the New Forest with schools.