The pandemic, quite apart from it's horrible human impact, had a dramatic and negative effect on the Forest. When the bell went for the first lockdown, Forestry England withdrew its ranger staff, somehow believing that the great British public would behave themselves. All of the car parks were closed and for a very limited time, it was like going back to an age where there were far fewer motor vehicles and far fewer visitors - whether they be local or from further afield. However, people began to feel anxious, angry, and imprisoned very quickly, and came to the Forest to get in touch with nature, let off steam and to express their feelings. Despite apparently loving the Forest, even before the rules were loosened, people started to park on the verges in vast numbers, to go off road and off track with their mountain bikes, and to let their dogs off in vulnerable areas - and this continued and got worse throughout the rest of the period. The Litter Pickers of the New Forest were - and still are - faced with mountains of litter including dog poo in bags and soiled wet wipes. The usual problems of pony and donkey feeding, drawing them to people and the roads continue, and is passed down the generations as foals learn from their mothers.
I have never had a problem with people enjoying the Forest but I hate to see them breaking the rules and putting the ecology of the Forest at risk.
Thankfully things seem to have quietened down at this end of the Forest and the opening up of the airports, and street parties at home, meant that half-term was fairly reasonable. Let's see what happens during the summer.
