Feathers are unique to birds. Strong, yet light and flexible, a single feather is an object of great beauty. Late summer, through August and September is a good time to look for feathers when adult birds are moulting: a process of shedding old feathers and growing new ones. Not surprisingly many birds are looking a … More Fabulous feathers
The personal benefits we can draw from nature are huge. We often look but don’t see – we forget how to listen to nature and enjoy the beauty of the moment. Mindfulness is a practice and skill for bringing your full attention to the present moment. We all need time to slow down and notice … More Drawing from nature – an invitation
There are many wonderful subjects to photograph in the New Forest National Park but my favourite is without doubt mushrooms. A walk anywhere during the autumn amongst its woodlands, open heaths and grassy lawns will reveal a world of weird and amazing fungi in all its different colours, shapes, sizes and textures. Fungi in the … More Fungi through a lens
The New Forest is not new as its name suggests and is home to many ancient trees. Remarkably old and full of character, ancient oak and beech trees are a living timeline to the Forest’s past and provide valuable homes to many wildlife species. Seek out an ancient tree and try out these activity ideas … More Meet the ancients
As daylight hours shorten it is fascinating to pay attention to the changes in the natural world around us and how our own bodies feel as we adjust to the rhythms of a new season. Walking in nature helps us to reflect upon these changes and improves our mood, especially on a clear sunny day. … More Autumn well-being
Bees are very special insects. They are fascinating to learn about and it is simple to do a few things to help bees in your local area. Did you know there are over 250 species of bee in the British Isles? Most of these are solitary bees, with 24 species of bumblebee and just 1 … More It’s easy-beezy to learn about and help bees!
Hand-made creations often catch the eye and the imagination- that’s why we still use a lot of sugar paper, pine cones and plasticine in our work with schools. At this year’s New Forest show, families were invited to try their hand at making sculptures for our stop motion animation telling the story of the 800 year … More Animating the past- Charter of the Forest
Originally posted on Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve :
Well, kind of. Yesterday saw the return of The Learning Curve (https://www.learningcurve.org.uk/about-us) and the current team enrolled on it’s Princes Trust programme who have been working towards their John Muir Award in conjunction with a number of partners from across and around the New Forest National Park coordinated by NPA Ranger…
Find out about local food in a new assembly for schools … More Granny’s Groceries
Autumn is my favourite season of the year; I enjoy the changing colours of the woodlands, dewy spider webs and especially the ‘wild food’ treasures hung brightly within hedgerows. ‘Blackberrying’ is often one of our first experiences of nature. Even toddlers quickly learn how to identify blackberry fruits! Foraging for wild foods is a wonderful … More Wild Foods of the Forest – the good forager
New Forest Education 