New Forest Citizen Scientist

Join us in mapping the distribution of New Forest specialist species.

The New Forest is one of the UK’s most significant freshwater landscapes, bursting with rare species, most of which have declined from the rest of lowland England.

Our goal is to generate meaningful data about the distribution of a selection of key New Forest species. By combining this data with habitat mapping, we aim to identify whether these species are present in their expected habitats and how their distribution has changed over time. We can use these insights to guide future conservation management plans, identify opportunity areas and deepen our knowledge of these species and their ecology.

Undertaking the survey involves travelling to a New Forest National Park car park of your choice and searching the surrounding area to see whether target species are present or absent within that location. Your findings, including a photo of any target species found and their location (e.g. a pin on a map or grid reference) will then need to be submitted via our website.

Free training sessions covering species identification, ecology and important safety information will be provided and is an essential part of enabling volunteers to successfully complete surveys. This ensures that all volunteers have a fulfilling experience whilst staying safe and protecting the existing biodiversity within the New Forest.