Owners of the Forest stock with rights attached to their property
Commoners of the New Forest are people who occupy property to which attaches one or more rights over the Forest and/or the adjacent commons (areas brought into the Forest under the New Forest Act of 1964 ) so, to be a commoner you must own or rent land which benefits from common rights.
There are six registered rights:
Commoners are often descendants of families who have been commoning for many generations, while some commoners are also farmers who use the Forest for some of their stock for a part of the year.
Many commoners nowadays are employed in other industries, some work for Forestry England whilst many others are employed in local businesses and a few even commute to other areas.
Many continue to turn out animals because they have always done so and enjoy the social contact it provides, while a number of others have come into commoning simply for the interest it provides.
The Verderers’ Grazing Scheme (VGS) was introduced in March 2012 and replaced the Verderers’ Countryside Stewardship Scheme which ran from September 2003 to February 2012.
The new Scheme was brought about by the decision to upgrade the original scheme to a Higher Level Stewardship Scheme managed by a partnership between the Verderers, Forestry England and the New Forest National Park Authority, and is due to run through until the end of February 2028. Full details are contained on the New Forest Higher Level Stewardship Scheme website.
Grazing Scheme (VGS)
Under the Higher Level Stewardship Scheme, the Verderers’ Grazing Scheme provides financial support for commoners who are exercising their rights in a responsible fashion; additionally, under Basic Payment Scheme commoners can receive payments, over and above those which they would have received on their back-up land, for every pony, cow and donkey they have on the Forest.
Higher Level Stewardship
Commoning in the New Forest refers to the traditional practice where local people, known as “commoners,” have the legal right to use the land for specific purposes, such as grazing their livestock or collecting resources. This centuries-old system is central to the cultural and ecological fabric of the New Forest.
The Verderers of the New Forest are an ancient and unique governing body responsible for protecting and managing the traditional rights, landscape, and ecology of the New Forest in southern England. They play a central role in overseeing commoning practices
An Agister in the New Forest is an official responsible for managing the welfare of livestock grazing on the open forest. They play a key role in supporting the traditional practice of commoning and ensuring the well-being of the animals that roam freely within the forest boundaries.
The Verderers publish regular announcements that include, protecting communing rights, managing livestock, conservation and environmental issues, resolving disputes, education and monitoring developments with the New Forest.
