Ashdown Forest Centre

Endless fly tipping again. Mainly garden waste.

In 2020 we are launching The Ashdown Forest Foundation, the charitable arm of the Conservators of Ashdown Forest. Its aim is to fundraise to ensure the best possible future for the Forest, supporting the Conservators who have been caring for the Forest since 1885. They protect and care for this rare habitat and its endangered wildlife, to improve biodiversity and bio-abundance. We aim to conserve this beautiful landscape for public enjoyment and recreation, which improves the quality of life and well-being in the community.
Our 2020 car window sticker celebrating the launch of The Ashdown Forest Foundation is now available with a £25.00 donation at the Ashdown Forest Centre or online here:
http://www.ashdownforest.org/store/

Although Ashdown Forest is not closed, we would like to remind everyone to take note of the guidance issued by the government and Sussex Police.
You should only travel if it is essential to do so and you should, where possible, stay local in order to take exercise, including walking your dogs.
You should only be visiting Ashdown Forest for exercise and should not be stopping for picnics or sunbathing. Please remember that you should not be gathering in groups of more than 2, ...unless they are members of the same household.
There is livestock out on the Forest now so make sure your dog is under close control at all times
Please be responsible for yourself and considerate to others.
Stay at Home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives
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APRIL BIRDLIFE ON THE WEST CHASE, ASHDOWN FOREST DURING THE COVID-19 LOCKDOWN 2020
The weather early this April has been ideal for migration, with warm weather and southerly winds from the Continent. By the beginning of April two warblers from the Mediterranean, Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps had already arrived in good numbers.
... These were followed on 5th April by a flood of Willow Warblers and small numbers of tree Pipits, both from sub-Saharan tropical Africa who have now staked out their breeding territories on the West Chase.
One day later, on 6th April, the first male Cuckoo was calling from woodland edge and also several brightly coloured Redstarts also from sub-Saharan tropical Africa had taken their territories in Scots Pines on the heath.
While a large number of other summer visitors (birds not people this Spring!) are yet to arrive it is encouraging to know that the resident birds of this Chase have survived the winter and have been making their appearances on the gorse & heather, in the pines and on the Forest floor .
Of note have been:- Red Kite, Common Buzzard, Kestrel, Sparrowhawk, Dartford Warbler, Woodlark, Common Crossbill, Stock Dove, Lesser Redpoll, Linnet, Yellowhammer, Stonechat and Woodcock.
We are so lucky at this time if we live near the Forest and can take our daily exercise here, (especially in the morning for the little birdies!) and in the afternoons for the raptors, when the warm thermals bring them up.
Clive Poole. Voluntary Ranger, Ashdown Forest. 11 April 2020.
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Livestock on Ashdown Forest (2020 Grazing Map)
Commoners sheep and cattle are normally grazed on the South Chase between April and mid-November. The animals are not fenced in and are free to roam. The Crowborough Road between Duddleswell and Nutley crosses the South Chase so animals will be on this road at times.
In the spring/summer a number of enclosures are erected on the Forest which are used for grazing the Conservators' livestock - Hebridean sheep, Riggit Galloway Catt...le, Welsh and Exmoor Ponies. The enclosures which are in use change throughout the year.
We have created a map showing the locations of the livestock enclosures around the Forest, and it will be updated throughout the season. We hope this will enable responsible dog owners to plan their walks appropriately and be of help to all our visitors.
You can now download a Grazing Map of Ashdown Forest for a £2.00 donation. Once you have downloaded the map, you will receive each update (as the map changes) by email, free of charge.
Grazing Map of Ashdown Forest 2020 (£2.00 Donation): DOWNLOAD here: https://www.ashdownforest.org/m…/conser ving/GrazingStudy.php
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The fire at Broadstone is now out thanks to Forest Row Fire Service and the Rangers. A BBQ in the heath in front of the car park.

Riggit Galloway heifers going on to the golf course enclosure by Townsend car park.

If you see a post from Night Sky Lanterns: 'Support the NHS with Union Jack Lanterns', absolutely PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS, DO NOT BUY THEM. There is no such thing as an eco-friendly sky lantern/Chinese lantern, even paper and bamboo can do damage, More fundamentally, this is basically releasing fire bombs into the sky. Much of the south of the UK has had no rain for 3 weeks and is tinder dry. With many countryside rangers off work, THE FIRE RISK IS HUGE. We all want to support the NHS and our wonderful key workers, but there are much better ways to do it.

https://m.facebook.com/DefraGovUK/videos/ 848907328918645/?refsrc=https%3A%2F%2Fm. facebook.com%2Fstory.php&_rdr

We would like to remind everyone to take note of the guidance issued by the government and police, and to stay at home over the Easter weekend. You should only travel if it is essential to do so and you should stay local in order to take exercise, include walking your dogs.
Although the Ashdown Forest car parks are not closed, we request that you take heed of the government advice and not drive to Ashdown Forest for exercise or dog walking.
For local residents who are lucky ...enough to walk to the Forest from their homes, please remember that you should not be gathering in groups greater than 2 unless they are members of the same household. You should only be walking on the Forest for exercise and should not be stopping for picnics or sunbathing.
There is livestock out on the Forest now so make sure your dog is under close control at all times
Please be responsible for yourself and considerate to others.
Stay at Home. Protect the NHS. Save Lives
See More

The Ashdown Forest Mini Explorers Toddler Group due to take place on April 20th has been cancelled.

The Conservators' livestock are already grazing in some of the temporary enclosures around the Forest. The Commoners’ livestock (cattle & sheep) will start to go back out into the grazing enclosure from Tuesday 07 April. They do not all go out at the same time, so you may not, necessarily, see them straight away. Please anticipate that they may appear round the next bend, tree, or Gorse bush and ensure that you have appropriate control of your dog(s) at all times.
The Fo...rest Bye-laws state that dogs must be kept “under proper control and be effectively restrained from causing annoyance to any person and from worrying or disturbing any animal”. “Worrying” is defined as a dog attacking livestock, chasing livestock or not being on a lead or under close control when close by, or in a field or enclosure with livestock.
The bird-nesting season is also in full swing. The Forest has internationally-important populations of rare and endangered bird species which are ground-nesting and very vulnerable to disturbance. During this period, dogs should be kept to the rides and paths and not be allowed to go off where they might disturb breeding birds.
NOTIFICATION OF ROAD CLOSURE
Crowborough Road (also known as Stonehill Road) will be closed to through traffic between Duddleswell and the cattle grid near Stonehill / Misbourne Farm from Monday 06 April for an estimated four days. Access will be maintained to the residential properties, although motorists may have to follow the diversion to the Nutley end of Crowborough Road via the A22. This is for essential repair work to be carried out.
At this time please be responsible and considerate to others. Adhere to the government advice of minimising your time away from home, staying local and only travelling if it is essential to do so.
Stay at Home. Protect the NHS Save Lives
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Exmoors on Broadstone Bog.

Exmoor ponies running out onto Broadstone Bog by Lintons.

Exmoor ponies going into the Broadstone Bog grazing area.

Rucksack found yesterday at Hindleap car park. Please call the rangers. 01342 822846