M0YMA on the web

Background

The original Wealden Heaths SPA was named Thursley, Hankley and Frensham Commons SPA and assigned WWFF reference GFF-0207.

Phase I of this SPA added further protection to the Thursley, Hankley and Frensham Commons SSSI, which also forms the southern part of the Thursley, Ash, Pirbright and Chobham SAC – the northern part of the SAC forms part of the Thames Basin Heaths SPA (qv).

Phase II

Subsequently, the SPA has been extended and renamed, with the addition of four standalone SSSIs.  These have now been assigned WWFF GFF references as follows:

• GFF-0355 = Devil’s Punch Bowl SSSI
• GFF-0356 = Woolmer Forest SSSI and SAC
• GFF-0357 = Bramshott and Ludshott Commons SSSI
• GFF-0358 = Broxhead and Kingsley Commons SSSI

It is hoped that these will all be activated over the coming months.

After much deliberation, it has been decided to assign a reference (GFF-0354) to Alice Holt Royal Forest.

This area of Royal Forest is an Ancient Woodland, owned and managed by the Forestry Commission – of sufficient importance that the original boundary of the South Downs National Park (GFF-0018) was revised to include it!

Previous WWFF activity from the forest, of reference GFF-0018, will be reallocated to GFF-0354.