About Commoning

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About Commoning

About Commoning

The commoning community are a vibrant and diverse community of people who come from all walks of life. Individually they have rights to turn ponies, cattle, pigs, donkeys and sheep out to graze and browse the New Forest’s woodlands, heathlands and lawns. Together the commoners and their animals have shaped the New Forest for generations. There are five Forest Rights:

Pasture
Mast
Estovers
Turbary
Marl

Commoning year

December

The shortest days
December sees the final sale of the year of New Forest ponies at Beaulieu Road Pony Sale. Commoners will have been out across the Forest catching the last few mares and foals in preparation for the sale. Many ponies are not caught on the drifts and commoners will go out alone or in small groups to catch individual ponies.
In some years the acorn crop is heavy and commoners with the right of pannage are given an extension to continue turning their pigs out, this occasionally lasts until New Years Day. Commoners on the Crown lands, with a sow in pig, can also apply for a licence to continue turning her out so long as she returns home each night to sleep.

THE
FOREST

COMMONERS

ANIMALS

YOU & THE
FOREST

Latest News

Watchdog charity appeals for help with New Forest byelaws survey

4th August 2022

Conservation charity - Friends of the New Forest - have launched a survey to monitor and record breaches in the New Forest byelaws and are calling on volunteers to help collect ... READ MORE

22-year-old man convicted after a fatal collision with foal

28th April 2022

Ben Hanlan, of East Grange Drive in Leeds, was convicted after the Volkswagen Polo he was driving collided with a foal nearby to Beaulieu Road between midnight on Friday 27 August ... READ MORE

April 2022 Presentments

22nd April 2022

The NFCDA made two presentments at the April 2022 Verderers Court. Nomansland Presentment The first was presented by Andrew Parry-Norton, expressing our concern over a ... READ MORE

The Glover Review Update

9th March 2022

In May 2018 the Government asked for an independent review into whether the protections for National Parks and AONBs are still fit for purpose. In particular, what might be done ... READ MORE

Objection to an application to record three restricted byways near Ringwood

25th February 2022

We have objected to an application to record three byways in the parish of Ringwood. The application was based on three sites: Bagnum Lane SU1734 0272 to Kingston Great ... READ MORE

Applications open to work for The Foundation for Common Land

1st February 2022

Applications are now open for two new roles as landscape recovery test and trial facilitators. The roles are located in The New Forest and The Malverns. Salary - : £36,000 ... READ MORE

Salt licks now in place along Roger Penny Way

13th January 2022

One of the New Forest’s most infamous roads for animal accidents (Roger Penny Way), has been given the go-ahead to trial off-road salt licks in a bid to help grazing animals ... READ MORE

A parasite found in dog faeces has been attributed to several cows aborting their calves

4th January 2022

Last summer, Commoner Tom Gould turned 38 cattle out to graze on the New Forest. The majority of those at the time were in calf. By the Autumn, when the cattle were taken back to ... READ MORE

New Forest Livestock Society – 2022 Provisional Sale Dates

14th December 2021

The New Forest Livestock Society (NFLS) have confirmed their provisional dates for the 2022 sales to be held at Beaulieu Road Sale Yard. The dates are as follows: ... READ MORE

NFCDA response to the New Forest National Park Draft Partnership Plan

28th September 2021

ℹ️ The NFCDA Committee have responded to the New Forest National Park consultation on their emerging Partnership Plan. We hope that the feedback we have provided is ... READ MORE