Our Bench – A New Forest Guardian
At Our Bench, being a New Forest Guardian means more than displaying a logo.
We live and work on the edge of the New Forest National Park, and our guests come here because this is an extraordinary place to visit. We want everyone to be able to enjoy it — including disabled visitors and people who may need a little more information or planning to experience the Forest — while helping to protect it for the people and wildlife who come after us.
That's why Our Bench partners with "Look Out For Our Forest", a local campaign encouraging residents, businesses and visitors to care for the New Forest through small, responsible choices.
Look Out For Our Forest
What does being a Forest Guardian mean?
For us, it means helping our guests understand that looking after the Forest is something we can all be part of.
It can be as simple as taking litter home, using bins responsibly, reducing single-use waste, recycling where possible and respecting the wildlife and landscape around us.
Look Out For Our Forest describes this as small actions making a big impact. Litter isn't simply unsightly: it can harm wildlife, pollute land and waterways and put additional pressure on the environment. When we're out locally, we do our small part too, picking up litter when we see it.
Accessible tourism and responsible tourism belong together
We believe protecting the New Forest and making it accessible to more people are complementary, not competing, ambitions.
Our role is to help people enjoy the area responsibly whatever their access requirements. That includes sharing detailed accessibility information, helping guests identify places they can visit, encouraging responsible behaviour in the Forest and working with other local organisations and businesses to make the New Forest a welcoming place for everyone.
Being a Forest Guardian therefore fits naturally with what we already do: helping people experience the New Forest while respecting the place they have come to enjoy.
How our guests can help
During your stay, we would love you to help us look after our Forest. There are lots of simple ways you can make a difference:
- Take your litter home if bins are full.
- Never leave rubbish beside a bin — wildlife can quickly spread it.
- Reduce single-use items and recycle where possible.
- Respect livestock and wildlife and give them plenty of space.
- Leave the Forest as you would hope to find it.
- Remember that lots of small actions, made by thousands of visitors, make a significant difference.
We're proud to be a Forest Guardian
The New Forest isn't simply where our holiday cottages are located. It's our home. It's where we brought up our children, where Helen grew up, where Matt holidayed as a child, and where Helen's ancestors have lived since the 1800s.
We want our guests to discover it, enjoy it and make wonderful memories here, just as we have. Being a New Forest Guardian is our commitment to helping make sure that enjoyment doesn't come at the expense of the Forest itself.
Together, small actions really can make a difference.
Find out more about Look Out For Our Forest →
Look Out For Our Forest – caring for the New Forest
The New Forest Drive Safe Campaign, another important New Forest initiative
For ideas of places to explore, discover our
Explore the New Forest
section and our guide to
wheelchair accessible walks.