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
October
Winter preparations are well underway, with some animals starting to be brought back in to back-up land and the October foal sale is held at Beaulieu Road
The Shared Forest
Latest News
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
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
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
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
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
Commoning Voices
Business Group
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