Page 34 • The HERALD • 12th March 2026 v SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESSES v DECORATING Interior and Exterior Established 1985 07867 528307 mark.blake.decorating@gmail.com M. C. HALL LTD 4 Carpentry 4 Fencing 4 Decoration 4 Extensions 4 Kitchens 4 Loft Conversions 4 Bathrooms 4 New Build First Rate Building & Carpentry Work Start to Finish Service • References Available • Fully Insured • 1 year guarantee Free Quotations and Friendly Advice Given Contact: mchall126@btinternet.com or call 023 8089 8456 or 07976 937941 Website: www.mchallltd.co.uk WILLIS DECORATING & JOINERY SERVICES Est Since 1986 Interior & Exterior Painting & Decorating Wallpaper Hanging Hand-painted Kitchens & Spray Finishes Wardrobes, Bookcases, Radiator Covers Call David on 023 8084 9800 or 07946 048261 E: david.willis24@btinternet.com Bats To Benefit From New Forest Nature Recovery Project A New Forest nature recovery project is shedding new light on local bat populations and improving habitat for these elusive nocturnal hunters. e New Forest is a national stronghold for bats, and of the 18 species found in the UK, 14 can be found here. In 2025, baseline surveys were undertaken to measure bat activity before habitat improvements were carried out through the Species Survival Fund (SSF) project. e £1.3million scheme, led by the New Forest National Park Authority and involving ve partner organisations, has seen local experts create and restore habitats at around 30 sites to increase climate resilience and reverse species decline. Wild New Forest – one of the ve partners in the project – placed bat detectors at 11 SSF sites for around a fortnight each, with the detectors set to record bat echo-location calls from dusk until dawn. More than 140,000 individual bat passes were detected during the surveys. Detailed analysis indicated all 14 of the New Forest bat species were potentially recorded; although not and highlight the exceptional bat diversity in the New Forest. In addition to supporting the SSF project, the data is being shared with trusted colleagues in Hampshire and Wiltshire Bat Groups to inform their wider survey and research work.” e other partners involved in the SSF project are Freshwater Habitats Trust, Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust and New Forest Commoners Defence Association, with support from the RSPB and New Forest Biodiversity Forum. e project’s wider aim has been to restore and expand habitats from the inner core of the New Forest to its outer edges and beyond, while also demonstrating the bene ts of a multi-partner and multi-intervention approach by local experts. is project is funded by the Government’s Species Survival Fund. e fund was developed by Defra and its Arm’s-Length Bodies. It is being delivered by e National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Natural England and the Environment Agency. A bat detector in the New Forest (Credit: Russell Wynn / Wild New Forest) A Pipistrelle bat taken in the New Forest (Credit: Russell Wynn / Wild New Forest) all could be con rmed with high con dence using acoustic data alone. Common and Soprano Pipistrelle were the most frequently detected species, accounting for 94 per cent of all bat passes. e nationally scarce and red-listed Barbastelle was recorded at all the sites surveyed, with nearly 40 passes per night at one parkland location. e locally rare Greater Horseshoe Bat was also recorded at two sites in the north of the New Forest. Bats thrive in landscapes that o er an abundance of insects and other invertebrate prey. e SSF project has improved and increased bat habitat by creating insect-rich wetlands and wild ower meadows, restoring native woodland, and planting new hedgerows to strengthen connections between habitats. Wild New Forest will be monitoring future changes in bat activity at SSF sites where habitat improvements have recently taken place, hopefully demonstrating the long-term value of the project for bats and the wider New Forest ecosystem. Prof Russell Wynn, Director of Wild New Forest, said: “This new data has revealed existing bat hotspots LOCAL CLEAN UP! Local people expressed their gratitude as Hythe & Waterside Rotary carried out two local litter picks on the rst Saturday of February. Rain held o whilst two teams collected litter, one in Hythe village and one in the Applemore (Dibden) area. H&W Rotary President, Ian Wheeler, said: “We received great support all round. Our teams were joined by members of the public as well as two ladies from the New Forest LitterPickers and we were delighted to be thanked for making a difference to our local community as we worked”. H&W Rotary carry out litter picks throughout the year, so please follow them on Facebook or visit their website: www. hythewatersiderotary.org if you would like to join in future events. The litter picking teams
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