Drain

There are few of the Victorian 'drains' which criss crossed the enclosures remaining, they used to be a common feature, until their remodelling, meandering and filling in the pursuit of re-establishing bog woodland, a rare environment.  Six or seven feet deep in places, these drains were essential if the New Forest enclosures were to remain dry enough for growing timber, still a vital resource at the time. You can tell a drain, they're usually straight, or run in straightened lengths, they're deep with a flat bottomed 'v' sided profile and there are spoil heaps along the tops of the banks from their construction and subsequent maintenance.  This one in Bramshaw Wood is a good example, exhibiting all the features mentioned (although not in the photo).  Whereas I thoroughly agree with rewilding (although it's questionable whether the re establishment of Bog Woodland is rewilding), I think it would be sage to retain some of these features, they are after all part of the forests history and archaeology.  The NPA and the Forestry Commission are not good in that respect as can be seen in, what I see as, their short sighted approach to the World War Two archaeology of the forest. I'm primarily speaking about the wholesale destruction of every period airfield and their associated features throughout the forest.  A great loss to the collective archaeological/historical/educational resource, both locally and nationally.