Verderers Grazing Scheme…

Although the Verderers’ HLS commenced on 1st March 2010, the Verderers continued to manage the money allocated for commoning, under the rules of the original scheme until 2012 when they were amended to allow new commoners to join subject to a 3 year qualifying period. The VGS is funded through the HLS and now receives significantly more than under the original Countryside Stewardship Scheme.

In addition to direct payments to commoners for depasturing stock, which is so essential to the ecology of the Forest, the Scheme is now able to fund a range of projects to sustain commoning on the Forest, now and into the future. These include the New Forest pony ‘Bloodline Scheme’ which is intended to re-introduce selected bloodlines into the Forest; the ‘Stallion Scheme’ which manages the selection and number of stallions which run on the Forest each year; and a newly introduced ‘Pony Welfare Programme’ which encourages commoners to replace older ponies with young stock, avoiding the inevitable welfare problems encountered by older ponies on the Forest. It is also funding a programme to rebuild up to 4 ‘pounds’ a year (pens where depastured animals are handled on the Forest) using hardwood, as a long term legacy project, as well as replacement of drift fencing to facilitate the rounding up of ponies.

In addition, the VGS contributes towards the cost of microchipping New Forest ponies when they are sold at Beaulieu Road (subject to eligibility); the work of the Land Advice Service team; reflective pony, and more recently, cattle collars; and funding for a small grants scheme to assist commoners with their commoning businesses.