17+ hour, 24+ min ago  (476+ words) Rules designed to stop people feeding New Forest ponies have been extended thanks to "universal support. The existing Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) will remain in force for a further three years following approval from New Forest District Council cabinet…...

1+ week, 3+ day ago  (218+ words) A new insurance-backed guarantee is offering long-term peace of mind for property owners tackling invasive plant problems. The guarantee, aimed at residents in Dorset, covers treatment for invasive non-native plants such as Japanese knotweed, bamboo, and buddleia. It is available…...

2+ week, 5+ day ago  (445+ words) New inheritance tax changes could force rural families to consider selling land. Concerns have been raised across the south west, including Dorset, as families face the possibility of losing land that has been in their possession for generations. The proposed…...

4+ week, 1+ day ago  (274+ words) Award-winning gardener Sue Kent captivated a full house during a recent community talk. Ms Kent delivered an inspiring talk at Verwood Memorial Hall on February 28 to members of the Verwood & District Horticultural Society. A presenter on Gardeners" World since her…...

1+ mon, 3+ week ago  (667+ words) Planned inheritance tax changes could place an unmanageable burden on grieving relatives as the people responsible for dealing with estates after a death, says a new report from the House of Lords. In the Draft Finance Bill 202526, the House of…...

2+ mon, 2+ week ago  (210+ words) The average wait time for an allotment in Bournemouth and Poole is five years. BCP Council manages 593 plots across 11 sites, three in Bournemouth and eight in Poole. As of December 2025 there was a total of 2,470 residents on the waitlist for…...

4+ mon, 3+ week ago  (444+ words) A FARMER from Bisterne Estate near Ringwood has won a national countryside conservation award. Rupert Brewer was given the Working Conservationist Award at the Sch'ffel Countryside Awards. This award celebrates individuals who have dedicated much of their lives to conserving…...

5+ mon, 6+ day ago  (344+ words) A giant pumpkin has set two new Guinness World Records. The massive vegetable, weighing 1,278.8 kg (2,819 lb 4 oz) and measuring 649.8 cm (21 ft 3.8 in) in circumference, is the heaviest and largest ever grown. Twin brothers Ian and Stuart Paton, 64, cemented their place…...

6+ mon, 2+ day ago  (199+ words) South West dairy farmers have experienced a significant financial rebound over the past 12 months. According to the latest Milk Cost of Production Report from Old Mill and the Farm Consultancy Group, stronger milk prices and easing feed costs have increased…...

7+ mon, 3+ week ago  (381+ words) Forestry England has been accused of creating potential bonfires that could cause"devastating"blazes in the New Forest. As Hampshire swelters in thefourth heatwave of the summer, the organisation has been criticised for not removing fallen timber from the forest…...