Only 3 miles from Crofton is the New Forest. Whatever your interests, if you enjoy woodland, you'll love the New Forest. There is ample room to enjoy the forest and you may even catch a glimpse of the elusive Dartford Warbler. If you prefer ancient woodland, Crab Wood is a good site. With over 200 hectares of broadleaved woodland, it is a popular place to relax or watch wildlife.

Broughton Down is chalk grasslands that host prolific wildlife. There is a wide range of flowers including rock rose and several orchid species. The site is excellent for its summer visitors, the butterflies. Nationally important species like the Chalkhill Blue and Duke of Burgundy Fritillary can be found.

For salt water species, Keyhaven Lagoons near Lymington provides opportunities to see unusual highly specialised flora and fauna. This includes 1.2% of the UK population of Little Turn and the Starlet Sea-anemone; which is confined to only a few sites in the UK and protected internationally. Other breeding birds include Common and Sandwich Turns, Oystercatcher, Ringed Plover and Redshank. It is also an internationally important location for its winter visitors - 3000 Brent Geese, plus Dunlin, Grey Plover and Black Tailed Godwits