Presentment to the April 2026 Court on Forest Funding

Official Verderer and Verderers and the members of public attending court today, I am Sarah Nield, Chair of the New Forest Association (NFA).

In February Lyndsey Stride gave an insightful and informative presentment on the funding cliff edge the Forest faces when Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) funding ceases in 2028. As many present here today will know HLS Funding has brought many benefits including habitat restoration, vital support for commoning, preservation of historic sites and public education. In simple terms securing a funding replacement is crucial for the future of commoning and the conservation and management of the Forest’s protected landscapes and wildlife.

Lyndsey outlined the possible Environmental Land Management Schemes (ELMS) alternatives, from the ideal Landscape Recovery (LR) to Countryside Stewardship, Higher Tier (CSHT) and Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI).  Forest organisations, including this Court, Forestry England, the National Park, Forest Farming Group, as well as national organisations, like the Foundation for Common Land and Natural England are working hard to position the Forest to apply for all these sources of funding. Collaboration is of course key to success, and it is good to see these parties coming together for the common good.

But, and this is a massive but, DEFRA and our present Government are proving totally unhelpful.  The gold-plated Landscape Recovery is very difficult to obtain. Bids can only be made within tight bidding windows, and those windows presently are staying firmly shut.  It was hoped they would open last year, then this year and the probability is more likely next year. Even if a bid proceeds, the process is very challenging with funding not going to materialise for 3 to 4 years ie well past the 2028 cliff edge when HLS expires.   It was hoped that CSHT would provide a funding alternative at least in the interim.

But there is devasting news. DEFRA announced at the end of March that CSHT and SFI applications for common land cannot be processed this year and possibly not next year. The problem is that the computer application system cannot cope with commons. Commons are in the ‘too difficult’ pile. Yet common land comprises 21% of all land in England that is designated for nature (our SSSIs) and 82% of all common land is in National Parks and National Landscapes. The vast majority allow for public access as well as supporting almost 4,000 farming businesses.

Fifteen organisations, including the Foundation for Common Land, the Campaign for National Parks, our own National Park Authority, the National Trust, RSPB, the Wildlife Trusts, have written immediately to the Secretary of State for DEFRA to ask for a paper application process. The New Forest Association are doing so too along with writing to our local MPs. We urge the Verderers to write and apply maximum pressure.

It has never been so important for the Forest to secure continued and adequate funding.  The message that needs to be heard by the people that have made this shortsighted decision is commons matter. They are vital for nature, wellbeing and the rural economy.

If I can take the courts’ time very quickly on two additional short questions of importance: