People from De Maashorst visit New Forest
People working on the sustainable development of a connected nature network in the area De Maashorst in Noord-Brabant looked at the practice of National Park New Forest in South East England. It proved that branding the landscape and the nature of the park provided means to strengthen the regional economy.
In the vision of the future the Steering Committee De Maashorst formulated the green area De Maashorst between the towns Oss, Uden and Zeeland will be developed into a connected network of nature areas which stretches about 3.500 hectares. In the boundary areas agriculture and recreation will play a significant role, because in the sustainable development of the area the regional economy will be strengthened too.
In an international exchange people from municipalities, the province of Noord-Brabant, the local water board and representatives from the agricultural, recreation and nature organisations visited National Park New Forest from 16 to 20 September, where they were met by people from the park, the Forestry Commission, Natural England and representatives of Lifescape partner organisation in the South Downs. The visit was organised by the ECNC and Bureau Ecoplan as part of Lifescape, stimulate international exchange and provide inspiration for both visitors and hosts for the sustainable development of their region.
The New Forest is England's smallest National Park, 60.000 hectares stretching from Southampton to the Avon Valley and from the Wiltshire Downs to the Solent coast. The park has a divers landscape of forests, heath lands, marshes, farm lands and valleys and it contains a biodiversity that is amongst the richest of Europe. The origin of the New Forest dates from 1079, when William the Conqueror creates his royal hunting ground of Nova Foresta, so the New Forest is almost a thousand years old.
The scenic beauty and the natural riches of the New Forest are a result of centuries long grazing. Almost 4.500 ponies, cattle, sheep, donkeys, roes and deer are grazing the area, unhindered by fences. Most of these animals are owned by 'commoners', land owners and cattle farmers who own historic constitutional rights for the grazing. This centuries old rights form the basis for the rich biodiversity that is a result of the grazing.
The visit to the New Forest provided the 23 participants with an opportunity to get an insight in the nature development and management within the park, but also in the ways the English deal with developing a healthy countryside economy. The Dutch were informed on the grazing and initiatives to combat dehydration. Besides they learned that branding the New Forest by means of regional products and the logo of the park played an important role in strengthening the regional economy.
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