Commoners’ back-up grazing in the New Forest: Extent and Distribution by Jo Ivey, May 2025

The commoning system of the New Forest underpins the area’s ecosystem. The grazing and browsing of depastured livestock maintain the wide variety of heath, bog and woodland that characterise the landscape and mosaic of habitats covered by national and international designations for nature conservation. The area’s beauty and relative accessibility also bring millions of day visitors and holiday makers to the area each year, adding considerably to the area’s economy. With its annual round of drifts, pony sales and point to point races, the commoning community is also a vital element of the New Forest’s history and cultural
heritage.

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