Geography and Environment at the University, in collaboration with the Forestry Commission, the British Society for Geomorphology and the universities of Brighton and Hull have won the Maldwin Drummond Challenge Cup for best Trade Stand at the New Forest and Hampshire County Show. Their winning exhibition demonstrated how Forestry Commission programmes are helping to restore and support the area’s natural habitats.
Taking place over three days (26 – 28 July 2016) the New Forest and Hampshire County Show is an annual agricultural show held in Brockenhurst, Hampshire. Celebrating a range of countryside activities, crafts, produce and entertainment, around 95,000 visitors attend each year.
The Forestry Commission’s High Level Stewardship (HLS) programmes are restoring some of the New Forest’s rivers back to a natural, meandering state. This involves re-introducing meanders and slowing the flow of the water through the Forest by using the floodplain to its full potential.
Dr Chris Hackney, from Geography and Environment and part of the stand team, was thrilled with the award:
“We were delighted to be asked by the Forestry Commission to help demonstrate and inform the public about the ongoing restoration projects in the New Forest. The interactivity of the stand is fantastic for engaging the next generation of the New Forest community and foster potential scientists. It’s a testament to all involved in the stand that we have been awarded the Best Trade Stand and an honour to be awarded this by the Countess of Wessex. The Countess was highly informed and showed real enthusiasm and support of the restoration activities within the New Forest.”
The stand is located in the Forestry Commission’s forest enclosure at the show. Geography and Environment at Southampton has been involved in previous river restoration projects in the New Forest at sites such as the Highland Water and Black Water.
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