Three of the UK’s rarest reptiles are set to receive a boost from a project that aims to create new habitat for them in the New Forest.
The New Forest National Park is a 560 km2 wildlife haven of pasture, heathland and forest in south-west Hampshire. It is home to all three of the UK’s most endangered reptiles; the sand lizard, smooth snake and adder, but much of the heathland they prefer has become overgrown by gorse.
More widely, the species are also threatened by climate change, fires and habitat destruction. "All three are facing several threats both nationally and locally, impacting the range and distribution of populations, and the habitats that support them,” says ARC project officer Eryn McDonald.
The project, spearheaded by the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust (ARC) and the New Forest National Park Authority (NPA), seeks both to create new heathland and restore existing heathland. Around 250 hectares of Forest land is to be enhanced, which is the equivalent of about 350 football pitches.
To date, much of the focus has been on clearing the gorse, to create open spaces for the reptiles to forage, breed and bask. “This type of work helps to restore lowland heathlands to a favourable condition, supporting the species that rely on these surroundings,” says McDonald.
In addition, the work is helping to connect favourable habitats inside the Forest with those in the surrounding area, creating a bigger, better, more joined up landscape.
The UK has six native reptile species. The other three are the grass snake, common lizard and slow worm. All of them can be found in the New Forest, and all of them will benefit from the restoration work. By creating new space for them to feed and breed, the hope is that the local populations will increase.
The New Forest National Park Authority (NPA) is leading the project alongside ARC and several other partners. The restoration work is part of the £1.3 million Species Survival Fund project, which is funded by the UK Government and delivered by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Main image: adder. Credit: Getty
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