Katie Walding, Author at Real New Forest

We would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Happy New Year from the New Forest Commoners’ Defence Association.

Thank you for supporting commoning over the past 12 months and we look forward to what lies ahead in 2026.

Our membership continues to grow and we hope this will continue over the coming months.

The Forest continues to face many challenges but the NFCDA will always be a strong voice for the commoning community.

As ever, if there are any issues you would like to raise with us, simply use the contact form above.

Our chair Andrew Parry-Norton has provided his final video update of the year to members of the New Forest Commoners’ Defence Association.

In the video he provides an update on the bid for a Landscape Recovery scheme, the guidance relating to food waste bins for Forest residents and the latest on how upcoming car parking charges will impact Commoners.

You can watch his video on our Facebook page here

A Forestry England property near Lyndhurst has become available to rent for New Forest Commoners.

Park Grounds Cottage in Clayhill is a three-bedroom detached cottage on the A337 backing onto Park Ground inclosure. Back-up grazing is attached.

There is an agricultural shed although there is no water or electricity supplied to it.

The rent is £1,140 per calendar month (fully subsidised commoning rent) and the deadline to submit an application of interest in the property is 5pm on Friday, 16 January

Viewings are by appointment only and will take place between Monday, 5 January and Thursday, 15 January.

For more information about the property itself and to fill in an application form, please see the links below.

Park Grounds Cottage, Clayhill, Lyndhurst

Further information

Park Grounds Cottage Particulars

Application Form and FAQs

Declaration of Household Income

For any other questions or queries, please email Fergus Robertson-McIsaac at Forestry England: fergus.robertson-mc@forestryengland.uk

The salt licks are back out for a fifth year to help protect New Forest livestock.

Two of our committee members – Bill Howells (pictured above) and Tony Vanderhoek – have placed 30 salt licks across the Forest.

They have been placed in various locations, including along the B3054 Bull Hill to Furzey Lodge and Hilltop to Dibden Purlieu. They are also situated along the B3078 Cadnam to Godshill and B3079 at Turf Hill.

The salt licks, which are formed of large blocks of Himalayan salt inside old tyres, are a way of enticing livestock away from busy roads where they are in danger of being hit by traffic.

This is heightened during cold weather and when gritting lorries have been out, leading to lots of salt on the roads which draws in the animals.

Pictured above: New Forest salt lick

It is hoped the salt licks will keep animals off and away from the roads by providing a safer alternative in a more natural habitat.

Even with these measures in place, we still ask all drivers in the Forest to drive to the conditions, expect the unexpected and prepare to stop at any time.

If you are involved in an accident involving a pony, cow, donkey, pig or sheep, you are required by law to report it to the police by ringing 999 as soon as possible.

A big thank you to The New Forest Trust for helping fund the salt lick project. Find out more about what the Trust does on its website here

The New Forest Trust works to preserve, sustain and enhance the unique beauty and conservation value of the New Forest for future generations.

It has helped the New Forest CDA in a number of ways over recent years, such as:

– Providing a £5,000 grant towards a vaccination programme for cattle against BVD (Bovine Viral Diarrhoea), helping improve livestock health and support Commoners financially.

– Funding the ongoing salt lick project run by Commoners (and overseen by the CDA) which places Himalayan salt bowls in strategic locations to encourage ponies/livestock away from roads, reducing animal accidents.

– Supporting initiatives through small grants that help maintain traditional commoning practices

Now, there is an easy way to support the Trust – the New Forest Community Lottery.

Tickets to play cost just £1 per week and 60% of that goes to good causes.

There is also a jackpot of £25,000 should you match all six numbers.

Get your ticket and support the New Forest Trust through this link

Good luck!

A big thank you to all New Forest CDA members who turned out for our Mid-Term meeting at Bramshaw Village Hall last month – it was an excellent turn out and we hope all who attended had an enjoyable evening.

Chair Andrew Parry-Norton provided an overview of the past year and some of main issues which the CDA has been working on, on behalf of New Forest Commoners.

Issues include the introduction of parking charges by Forestry England, New Forest District Council’s roll-out of the new bins and how the Forest and commoning will be impacted by local government reorganisation.

Committee member James Young gave an update and overview of encroachments and why it is so important to keep on top of them throughout the Forest.

Chair of the Young Commoners, Daisy Slocombe, recapped some of the key events for the organisation over the past year while the CDA’s honorary vet Alex Crook talked about this year’s Pannage season, neospora and strangles, as well as a potential vaccine for the latter.

The guest speaker on the night was Professor Russell Wynn, director of Wild New Forest. His talk focused on some of the current pressures facing the New Forest, from climate change and conservation grazing to land management and pollution.

Russell spoke about the need to balance preservation against restoration, and how important it is to spread more positive messaging and stories about New Forest commoning to a wider audience as much as possible.

He also emphasised the importance of working together alongside New Forest Commoners to help safeguard the Forest’s future.

A formal consultation has been launched on proposals to extend two existing Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs).

The Orders, which were originally introduced in July 2023, aim to protect the unique landscape, wildlife and communities of the New Forest by reducing behaviours that present risks to both the environment and public safety.

New Forest District Council (NFDC) is proposing a three-year extension, from July 1, 2026, of the following PSPOs:

PSPO No. 1 – BBQs and Wildfires
This Order prohibits the use of BBQs and similar fire-related activities across specified areas of the New Forest to reduce the risk of wildfires.
PSPO No. 2 – Feeding and Petting New Forest Livestock
This Order restricts the feeding and petting of New Forest ponies, horses, mules and donkeys. These measures help keep both animals and the public safe by discouraging behaviours that can lead to increased aggression, illness or road accidents involving livestock.

The council is required under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, to demonstrate that an extension is necessary to prevent harmful activities from recurring or increasing in severity.

Before the PSPOs can be extended, NFDC must carry out statutory consultation, publicity and notification, and as part of this process, it is seeking input from community representatives – groups or individuals who represent people living in, working in or visiting the areas covered by the Orders.

The New Forest CDA has been identified as one of these community representatives and NFDC is inviting feedback on the proposals.

If you wish to respond to the consultation, please complete this online form

If you require support completing the survey, you can contact NFDC’s community safety team on 02380 285438. Paper copies of consultation documents are available on request.

The consultation closes at 5pm on Friday, 19 December.

Please note if you took part in the public consultation held earlier this year, you do not need to submit a further response.

We’re delighted to announce our calendar for 2026 has arrived.

It features some lovely shots from across the New Forest to help showcase our centuries-old tradition.

There are a limited number of calendars on sale at the below locations:

– Bramshaw Village Shop

– Landford Post Office

– Pilley Community Shop

– Esme’s Tea Rooms

The calendar price is £8. If you would like to order one, please email New Forest CDA chair Andrew Parry-Norton at parrynortonfarm@gmail.com

All members of the New Forest Commoners’ Defence Association are invited to attend the Mid-Term meeting taking place this Friday – November 14 – and starting at 7.30pm at Bramshaw Village Hall.

The event is an opportunity for members to come together and hear the latest updates from the CDA committee on matters concerning Commoners and the New Forest.

This year’s meeting will feature two guest speakers:

Alex Crook, honorary vet for the CDA and part of Pilgrims Vets in Fordingbridge, will share the latest insights on livestock health, diseases and vaccination updates relevant to New Forest Commoners.
Russell Wynn, director of Wild New Forest and chair of the New Forest Biodiversity Forum, will provide an overview of his work monitoring and protecting the Forest’s wildlife and habitats, and how it links in with commoning.

The New Forest CDA and Wild New Forest are both partners in the Species Survival Fund project, alongside three other organisations working to safeguard the Forest’s biodiversity and promote sustainable land management.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to purchase the new 2026 Commoners’ Calendar, featuring striking images celebrating the people, animals and landscapes that make the New Forest so special.

The calendar will be on sale at the meeting at a special price of £7 (normally £8).

The New Forest National Park Authority (NPA) is inviting all residents – including the commoning community – to share their views in its latest residents’ survey.

It represents an important opportunity for Commoners, landowners and everyone who lives and works in the Forest to have a direct say in how the National Park is managed in the years ahead.

The last residents’ survey in 2021 received more than 2,700 responses and 10,000 comments. That feedback helped shape the National Park Partnership Plan, guiding how local organisations care for the Forest.

Since then, a number of positive initiatives have been introduced in response to residents’ priorities:

Sustainability and climate action: The £1.4million YouCAN Youth for Climate and Nature project was launched, alongside the Green Groups Network, New Forest Awakening Festival, and a Sustainable Living Pledge to support communities taking environmental action
Protecting wildlife and livestock: Two Public Spaces Protection Orders were introduced to help prevent wildfires and to discourage feeding or petting of Commoners’ animals.
Supporting land managers and Commoners: Through Defra’s Farming in Protected Landscapes scheme, over £1million in grants will be awarded by 2026 to farmers, Commoners and landowners to support nature recovery and sustainable land management.
Enhancing nature: A £1.3million Species Survival Fund was secured to improve 250 hectares of land for wildlife across 25 sites – the equivalent of 350 football pitches.

Hilary Makin, NPA communications manager, said: ‘Our communities and local organisations are best placed to understand issues on the ground and how to solve them to enable people and nature to thrive in the National Park.

‘New Forest partners have been acting on previous feedback. We’re now encouraging people of all ages to tell us their thoughts and ideas for the future of the National Park.’

The deadline to complete the survey is Sunday, 30 November.

Take the survey here