Working in partnership with Forestry England to understand and protect one of the New Forest's most elusive mammals
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The Pine Marten (Martes martes) is one of Britain's rarest native mammals and one of the New Forest's most exciting conservation success stories. In partnership with Forestry England, we are undertaking a long-term programme of research and monitoring to better understand the distribution, ecology and conservation needs of this recovering population.
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The project has evolved from mapping the return of Pine Martens to the New Forest to collecting genetic information and, more recently, investigating practical ways to reduce road casualties. By combining scientific monitoring with targeted conservation action, the partnership aims to improve understanding of the species while helping secure its future within the Forest.
Why are Pine Martens important?
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The Pine Marten is one of Britain's rarest native mammals and plays an important role as a woodland predator. As an adaptable omnivore, it helps maintain healthy woodland ecosystems by feeding on small mammals, birds, insects, fruit and carrion.
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Although the species is gradually recovering across parts of Britain, populations remain vulnerable, particularly in southern England where numbers are still relatively low. Understanding where Pine Martens occur, how they move through the landscape and the challenges they face is essential if the population is to continue expanding within the New Forest.
Working Together
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The Pine Marten Project is delivered in close partnership with Forestry England, combining practical conservation with scientific research.
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Forestry England manages much of the woodland habitat that Pine Martens depend upon, while Wild New Forest Guided Tours leads the field monitoring programme. Together, the project is building a detailed understanding of how Pine Martens use the Forest and identifying practical measures that can help reduce threats to this recovering population.
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The partnership also enables long-term monitoring, ensuring that management decisions are based on robust evidence collected over many years rather than short-term observations.
Our Research
Our work has developed over several phases, with each stage building on the knowledge gained from the last.
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Mapping the Population (2021–2023)
The first phase of the project focused on determining the distribution of Pine Martens within the New Forest.
Using trail cameras, field surveys and habitat assessments, we helped build a clearer understanding of where Pine Martens were present, identifying areas that supported regular activity and highlighting locations where further monitoring was required.
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This work contributed to one of the most comprehensive pictures of Pine Marten distribution within the New Forest to date.
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DNA Monitoring
Understanding where Pine Martens occur is only part of the story.
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Hair tube surveys allow us to collect small hair samples without disturbing the animals. These samples can then be analysed to confirm species identity and contribute to genetic research, helping improve our understanding of population structure, relatedness and the continued expansion of Pine Martens across southern England.
Reducing Road Casualties
As the New Forest Pine Marten population continues to expand, road traffic is becoming an increasingly significant threat.
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Working alongside Forestry England, the current focus of the project is identifying locations where Pine Martens regularly attempt to cross roads and investigating how existing infrastructure could be used to improve connectivity.
Trail cameras are being used to monitor culverts and existing underpasses to determine whether they already function as wildlife crossings. By gathering long-term evidence, the partnership aims to identify priority locations where future mitigation measures could be installed, helping Pine Martens cross roads safely while reducing the risk of vehicle collisions.
Reducing Road Casualties
As the New Forest Pine Marten population continues to expand, road traffic is becoming an increasingly significant threat.
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Working alongside Forestry England, the current focus of the project is identifying locations where Pine Martens regularly attempt to cross roads and investigating how existing infrastructure could be used to improve connectivity.
Trail cameras are being used to monitor culverts and existing underpasses to determine whether they already function as wildlife crossings. By gathering long-term evidence, the partnership aims to identify priority locations where future mitigation measures could be installed, helping Pine Martens cross roads safely while reducing the risk of vehicle collisions.
Supporting Conservation
This project is designed to deliver practical conservation outcomes.
Working in partnership with Forestry England, the information collected is helping build a detailed understanding of Pine Marten distribution, habitat use and movement across the New Forest. The long-term aim is to use this evidence to guide woodland management and inform future road mitigation measures that reduce mortality while improving habitat connectivity.
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Importantly, the project benefits far more than a single species. The extensive trail camera network also records Badgers, Foxes, Deer, Hedgehogs, small mammals and numerous woodland birds, providing valuable information on how a wide range of wildlife uses the Forest's habitats and crossing points.