Nature Discovery Day

Find out about wildlife in the New Forest

Spend an inspiring day discovering the New Forest’s very special wildlife. Join the Forestry England team including a host of local experts from the Hampshire Ornithological Society and Wild New Forest to get hands on spotting and recording some of the incredible creatures who live here.

What to expect

Activities for all the family are on offer across the day beginning with an early morning guided dawn chorus walk and ending at dusk with an opportunity to spot nightjars, bats and other creatures that come out at night. As well as specific events, you can join in at any time during the day by looking for wildlife and plant life and sharing what you find. Experts will be available all day to provide guidance on the best places to look and help identify different species of insects, dragonflies, butterflies and more. 

Forestry England’s wildlife and ecology team will be on hand to explain how they look after the Forest to make sure a wide range of creatures and plant life can thrive here. They will have handy spotting guides and kit to share.

Are the walks for me?

All walks will be a mix of grass, gravel and dirt paths with some steep slopes, unfortunately not suitable for mobility vehicles and will vary between 1.5 to 2 hours in duration. Meet in Wilverley car park behind the picnic area beside the toilet block.

Do I need to bring anything?

Bring suitable clothing for the weather as we will be outside, hats and sun cream, waterproofs if its wet, walking boots or sturdy footwear advisable. Bring your own refreshments such as water and snacks, and binoculars if you have them.

Do I need to book?

Activities run all day with pre-booking only required for some of the guided walk sessions that have a limited number of spaces, see links below.