The opening of the Hindhead Tunnel in July 2011, which rerouted the A3 road beneath Hindhead Common and the Devil's Punch Bowl, has facilitated a significant environmental restoration project. The National Trust has since removed the old road, replanted native species, and reconnected fragmented habitats on this Site of Special Scientific Interest. This rewilding effort has led to the successful return and breeding of protected species like woodlark and nightjar, which had not previously nested in the area. Furthermore, the diversion of traffic has dramatically improved air quality in Hindhead village, leading to the lifting of its Air Quality Management Area designation in 2015, as nitrogen dioxide levels fell below the legal limit within two years of the tunnel's completion.