The New Forest Trust

The New Forest Trust was founded in 2003 with one simple aim – to secure the future of the New Forest.

Our charitable aims are:

• Promoting the conservation, protection and improvement of the New Forest
• Promoting the conservation and protection of the commoning livestock, the deer and other flora and fauna of the New Forest
• Promoting the education and understanding of the public in the commoning of livestock, of fauna and flora and the environment of the New Forest

We secure financial support locally through donations and from the millions of people who visit the New Forest every year through our Visitor Gift scheme.

The money we raise is used to fund projects that meet our charitable aims, some of these projects we deliver directly, others are delivered by local organisations in the area through the small grant scheme.

Our work has already funded many vital projects, but to do more we need your help. Without you, the wildlife, unique landscape and community of the New Forest is in danger of disappearing. The New Forest is a very special place, we are determined to keep it that way.

Commoners’ housing

The New Forest Trust believes that one of the main threats to the future of the New Forest is the lack of affordable housing available to young commoners from which to continue the practise of commoning and in particular the depasture of stock onto the open forest.

It is acknowledged that the stock that graze the open areas of the New Forest are its true architects and vital to the maintenance of its conservation and ecological value. To maintain suitable levels of stock on the open forest it is crucial that we maintain the community of people who own and look after the stock. In other words, the commoners who have rights of pasture over the Crown lands of the New Forest and its adjacent commons.

The New Forest is officially Britain’s “least affordable” National Park, with 99% of suitable commoners small holdings coming on to the market ending up as amenity land and as such losing their value to the long term wellbeing of the open areas of the New Forest.
The ambition of New Forest Trust is to build up a stock of small holdings around the Forest which would be made available at a sustainable rent to, initially, young commoners giving them a secure base from which to develop their commoning and family activities.

For more information please contact us.