While it is accepted that most visitors act responsibly in the both the New Forest and Fontainebleau forest, some are unaware that their activities may damage the area. Part of the project’s communications plan is to devise ‘codes of conduct’ to target this group of people and communicate the harm that they could potentially do to the forest through inappropriate behaviour.
In Fontainebleau, codes for dog walking, horse riding and cycling are displayed on signs or "Charte des activités touristiques et sportives” in the forest car parks. Whilst in the New Forest, four codes of conduct covering the same three activities, plus a general ‘out and about’ guide, have been developed in leaflet formats by the local stakeholder forum.
At the beginning of the project the New Forest and Fontainebleau stakeholder forums, which consist of local user groups and businesses, statutory agencies and conservationists, identified various types of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ in the forests and made suggestions on how they may be reduced. By involving the stakeholders so closely in the development of the codes, the project has been able to ensure that all points of view can be considered, and that broad support for the codes can be sustained in the long term.
Each code carries important messages designed to provide guidance to forest users, both locals and tourists, on how they can help protect the area they enjoy so much. In the New Forest, the codes are presented in a fun cartoon format to catch the attention and appeal to all ages, and are available across the area in shops, information points, libraries, hotels, recreation centres and other outlets. Poster versions will also be produced and displayed at important forest visitor sites, for example, cycle hire shops, riding stables and focal points such as the New Forest visitor information centre in Lyndhurst. Copies are also available for the public to download online from www.forestry.gov.uk/newforest
After being launched in June 2005 the feedback on the New Forest codes has been incredibly positive. Land managers have contacted the team to learn more about the codes, along with owners of holiday cottages who are keen to distribute the codes to their guests. Locals are also responding well and feel more confident about approaching other forest visitors to spread the messages about how to look after the area.
The project will continue to gather further feedback until PROGRESS ends in October 2007.