How the public can help New Forest's rare birds survive
Video report by ITV News Meridian's Nicki Woodcock
As lockdown begins to ease and more of us head to our favourite beauty spots, conservationists in the New Forest are urging people to be responsible to ensure wildlife continues to thrive.
The national park is one of only a few places in the country where rare ground-nesting birds come to breed.
From March to late July - curlews, lapwings and woodlarks are among the rare species arriving in their hundreds to nest in the New Forest. Their numbers are declining elsewhere due to habitat loss.
Basic activities like walking and cycling can have a huge impact on their survival, but by following a few simple rules - it can make all the difference.
Dawn Rayment, who is a People and Wildlife Ranger at the New Forest National Park, said: "We want people to carry on coming to the national park, especially after lockdown, people need to get out and about and we appreciate that. But what we can do to minimise our recreational disturbance is keep to those main tracks.
"Horse riders, walkers, dog walkers, when they are out and about, especially when they see the orange signs or red signs about ground-nesting birds they should know those areas are special areas for the birds.
"Either consider walking somewhere different or if you do continue to walk, keep to that main track and if you do have a dog, keep that dog on the track as well.
"There's no use you staying to the track and having your dog hunting off in the heather either side. So if you need a lead, use a lead."
To ensure the birds continue to flourish, special quiet zones have been set up and extra signage has been put in place.
Some car parks have also been closed including:
Crockford
Crockford Clump
Yewtree Heath
Clayhill
Hinchelsea
Shatterford
Hinchelsea Moor
Ocknell Pond
Rangers will be patrolling key nesting sites to enforce the rules, which are critical to ensure the long-term survival of many species.