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

January

January can be a tough start to the New Year, with commoners often caring for their animals in the dark and wet, having to fit it around their other work.

THE
FOREST

COMMONERS

ANIMALS

YOU & THE
FOREST

Latest News

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

Longmead Cottage Open For Applications

16th December 2021

Forestry England has published the particulars for another Commoner's holding. Longmead Cottage at Burley Lodge is now open for applications. The property particulars and ... 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

Longslade Heath - May 2019

NFCDA Mid – Term Meeting

16th November 2021

Mid-term Agenda CDA Nov21 17 November 2021 Start time: 19.30 Venue: Lyndhurst Community Centre 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

Helping to spread key messages !

23rd July 2021

Great to see the new #keepyourdistance signs up and in action :-) You asked… so we listened! This has been fantastic a joint initiative, with funding from the Verderers and ... READ MORE

Upper Holding Denny Lodge

24th June 2021

Forestry England have published the particulars for another Commoners holding. Upper Holding at Denny Lodge is now open for applications. A link to the property particulars and ... READ MORE

New support for the New Forest Commoning Community

21st March 2021

In a new initiative championed by ExxonMobil Fawley, some of their land on the edge of the New Forest, has been rented to to young commoners at a reduced rate. The full press ... READ MORE