New Forest Young Commoners

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New Forest Young Commoners A group that aims to support young commoners in the New Forest and to give them the opportunity to have a voice within the local community.

In 2007 a Young Commoners group was established. This group came about as a result of a successful commoning review meeting for young commoners. A steering group got together and identified the three main areas of concern, these being;

• Raising the profile of young commoners and increasing their participation in commoning and decision making in the Forest

• The acquisition of back-up grazing to support their commoning activities

• Education

The Young Commoners group aims to support young commoners through regular meetings where they can have their say about commoning matters. As part of the Commoners’ Defence Association the young commoners will support and contribute to the association wherever possible, reporting back to committee meetings through its younger members. The latest development has been the establishment of a Colts Council. This is a group of under 16s who are involved in commoning. The group plans to organise activities to support junior commoners including learning about commoning and social activities.

18/09/2026

🔥 WEBINAR: Creating a Fire Management Plan on Common Land

📅 Wednesday 30 September 2026
🕢 7.30–9.00pm

With hotter summers, fire is an increasing risk on common land — putting lives in danger, damaging precious ecosystems and seriously impacting local communities and economies.

Join us for a practical and thought-provoking webinar exploring how we can reduce the risk of wildfire, respond effectively when fires occur, and protect the ecology of our commons.

We’ll look in detail at work carried out on Dartmoor to create Fire Management Plans, sharing lessons that can be applied across common land.

🌿 Fire & ecology
Experienced common land botanists Clive Chatters and Andy Byfield will discuss the risks and benefits of fire on common land, including the impacts of both wildfire and prescribed burning.

🚒 Working in partnership
Ian Donovan, Devon and Somerset Fire & Rescue Service, and Tracy May, Dartmoor Commons Council, will explore their partnership approach to creating a Dartmoor-wide Fire Plan.

📋 Planning for individual commons
John Howell, Common Land Owner, and Philip French, Commoner, will share their experience of creating a Fire Management Plan for an individual common.

Join us to hear from people working on the ground and explore how effective fire management can help protect people, communities and the special ecology of common land.

👉 Book your place: https://foundationforcommonland.org.uk/events/creating-a-fire-management-plan-on-common-land

14/09/2026

🐷 Pannage begins today 🌳

Today marks the start of this year’s pannage season, when Commoners’ pigs are turned out onto the New Forest to feed on acorns, beech mast and other natural foods.

Last year was a particularly good mast year, with an abundance of acorns across the Forest. This year, however, there is considerably less mast available, so pannage will look quite different and there will be fewer pigs turned out than last year.

If you do come across pannage pigs, please remember:

🐷 Give them plenty of space – never approach, touch or feed them
🚗 Take extra care when driving – pigs may be close to roads and can move unpredictably
🐕 Keep dogs under control around livestock
🌰 Let pigs forage naturally – please don't tempt them towards you with food

Pannage is an ancient New Forest commoning tradition and an important part of Forest life. Please help Commoners keep their pigs safe during the season.

📅 Pannage is due to run until Sunday, 29 November

17/08/2026
12/08/2026
12/08/2026

We’re committed to keeping our communities safe, well and informed and our prevention and protection work plays a large role in this.

Thank you to all for the HUGE efforts delivered over the last few days 🙏🏼🧡
11/08/2026

Thank you to all for the HUGE efforts delivered over the last few days 🙏🏼🧡

Address

A35
Lyndhurst
SO4 2H

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