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

New Forest Mare & Foal

April

Time to inspect colts in the stallion "passing", while the foals by the previous summer's stallions start to arrive on the Open Forest

THE
FOREST

COMMONERS

ANIMALS

YOU & THE
FOREST

Latest News

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

Albert Stride 1926-2021

21st March 2021

Bert Stride, a well known New Forest commoner and character has died aged 94 after a short illness. His family would like to share with you his life story.. Albert Stride ... READ MORE

Forestry England Property to rent for active commoners

3rd February 2021

Following Ministerial Approval of the New Forest Housing Review earlier this year we are delighted to confirm that the first letting of vacant properties is now ... READ MORE

NFCDA response to the consultation on the allocation of land on the New Forest Common for the Basic Payment Scheme

30th January 2021

Final NF BPS Consultation Jan21 READ MORE

ELM and Commons: What does the Future Hold?

9th December 2020

Commoners are welcome to sign up for a free one-hour session on ELM, hosted by the Foundation for Common Land and Federation of Cumbrian Commoners. The webinar will ... READ MORE

Job opportunity: trial facilitator

2nd December 2020

DEFRA ELMS Test and Trial – A Commons Delivery Model • Do you have a good understanding of Commoning, farm support schemes and rural issues in the New Forest? • Are you a ... READ MORE

Consultation on the allocation of land on the New Forest common for the Basic Payment Scheme

30th November 2020

Background Up until 2005 subsidies were related to agricultural production, in the case of cattle this was paid through Suckler Cow Premium and Beef Special Premium for ... READ MORE

How do commoners catch their ponies?

18th November 2020

By Lyndsey Stride Whilst all the ponies on the New Forest are owned, most are unhandled and cannot be easily caught. Commoners are highly skilled in handling these semi-feral ... READ MORE

New Forest code July 2020

The New Forest code

29th July 2020

The Commoners Defence Association has come together with New Forest organisations to launch a new code to help protect our landscape, livestock and wildlife. The New Forest ... READ MORE

Driving Dalgetty's cattle through Fordingbridge. © Peter Harrison

Securing our history & heritage

10th July 2020

Fascinating accounts of commoning life have been brought together in a new collection of memories and photographs. Through Our Ancestors’ Eyes features the stories of 20 ... READ MORE