New Forest rules have been tightened up

[Trevor Wbm]

Forestry England, in conjunction with the New Forest Verderers, District Council and National Park Authority have introduced Public Space Protection Orders which create offences such as using a barbecue and feeding or petting the ponies and donkeys. Both those things have always been a bad idea, but now it's official.

Read more here ... and be be aware that the locals are broadly in support of this move, so even though the enforcers are thin on the ground people who are unaware, or don't care, may well find their reg numbers being passed on.

 

[Kannon Fodda]

The New Forest is under considerable pressure from differing requirements. Balancing tourism, recreation, environment, residency and historic ways of life are all in conflict. I think there could be some more joined up thinking particularly to better link some of the official walking and cycling routes, which could reduce accidental straying. Protection from those who wilfully ignore the rules must be welcomed to keep the Forest the attraction it is.

 

[Keep Right On]

Forestry England, in conjunction with the New Forest Verderers, District Council and National Park Authority have introduced Public Space Protection Orders which create offences such as using a barbecue and feeding or petting the ponies and donkeys. Both those things have always been a bad idea, but now it's official.

Read more here ... and be be aware that the locals are broadly in support of this move, so even though the enforcers are thin on the ground people who are unaware, or don't care, may well find their reg numbers being passed on.

i find it strange that feeding deer is ok - the other week car arrived at Stoney Cross car park and 2 ladies got out with a big bag of feed and scattered it to the herd of deer. The reason animals should not be fed is that it can make them aggressive to humans when no food is offered, many give the wrong food such as bread/cake. Additionally, animals have wandered into the road when a vehicle parks on the road as they expect food.

 

[Nanniemate]

As it is common ground with the rights to graze maybe they were feeding their own animals ?

 

[Keep Right On]

As it is common ground with the rights to graze maybe they were feeding their own animals ?

The "owned" animals are horses, ponies, donkies and pigs and will be tagged/branded. Some are wild. The deer are genuinely wild animals

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Guigsy]

Isn't the reason the New Forrest is largely heathland and not trees due to over grazing from deer, horses and cattle?

(And quite a bit that is wooded is commercial)

 

[TheBig1]

It is a complicated issue managing the forest. The no barbeque rule is absolutely common sense. We have been instructed to tell campers on our rallies ABSOLUTELY NO OPEN FLAMES. Definitely no disposable BBQs or firepits and no flames at ground level. We have also gone back to fire buckets essential

 

[Trevor Wbm]

Isn't the reason the New Forrest is largely heathland and not trees due to over grazing from deer, horses and cattle?

(And quite a bit that is wooded is commercial)

Don't think so .. it was apparently cleared for cultivation in the Stone and Bronze ages, but the soil wasn't up to it so the lowland heath developed from there.
The 'New' Forest, which was by no means all trees, was created in 1079 by William the Conqueror to give him somewhere to hunt, and the inhabitants of 36 parishes were summarily evicted to facilitate that.
Commoning started formally in the 16th Century, and the depasturing of the animals since then has created the 'lawns' of short grass, and trees with typically no growth below about 6 feet off the ground. In contrast the portion of Canada Common cut off from the main forest by the A36 is now pretty much impenetrable because of the lack of grazing. A lot of the original deciduous woodlands went to making naval ships, not least in Beaulieu, and as you say there's been a lot of commercial growing of connifers, since WW2. Some of the enclosures where that happened are now being restored to heath or deciduous trees.

When I was plod in Lyndhurst, I met locals who remembered the days when the ponies could get as far as Totton given the lack of fencing (commoners being prevented from building fences) and were impounded, to be released on payment of a fine. I was also assured that four Commoners could, if needs be, grab a leg each and lift a pony out of the compound during the quiet hours to avoid payment.

(Good question, I knew some of the history but have enjoyed doing a bit of research before answering).

 

[Guigsy]

Don't think so .. it was apparently cleared for cultivation in the Stone and Bronze ages, but the soil wasn't up to it so the lowland heath developed from there.
The 'New' Forest, which was by no means all trees, was created in 1079 by William the Conqueror to give him somewhere to hunt, and the inhabitants of 36 parishes were summarily evicted to facilitate that.
Commoning started formally in the 16th Century, and the depasturing of the animals since then has created the 'lawns' of short grass, and trees with typically no growth below about 6 feet off the ground. In contrast the portion of Canada Common cut off from the main forest by the A36 is now pretty much impenetrable because of the lack of grazing. A lot of the original deciduous woodlands went to making naval ships, not least in Beaulieu, and as you say there's been a lot of commercial growing of connifers, since WW2. Some of the enclosures where that happened are now being restored to heath or deciduous trees.

When I was plod in Lyndhurst, I met locals who remembered the days when the ponies could get as far as Totton given the lack of fencing (commoners being prevented from building fences) and were impounded, to be released on payment of a fine. I was also assured that four Commoners could, if needs be, grab a leg each and lift a pony out of the compound during the quiet hours to avoid payment.

(Good question, I knew some of the history but have enjoyed doing a bit of research before answering).

I've read that Scotland has glens only because it has too many deer. It was pretty much all thick woodland until all the big predators like wolves and lynx were wiped out.

 

[David BW]

i find it strange that feeding deer is ok - the other week car arrived at Stoney Cross car park and 2 ladies got out with a big bag of feed and scattered it to the herd of deer. The reason animals should not be fed is that it can make them aggressive to humans when no food is offered, many give the wrong food such as bread/cake. Additionally, animals have wandered into the road when a vehicle parks on the road as they expect food.

I very much doubt that they should have been doing that.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[TheBig1]

I very much doubt that they should have been doing that.

Absolutely they should not be doing it

 

[Tonks]

It is a complicated issue managing the forest. The no barbeque rule is absolutely common sense. We have been instructed to tell campers on our rallies ABSOLUTELY NO OPEN FLAMES. Definitely no disposable BBQs or firepits and no flames at ground level. We have also gone back to fire buckets essential

With the number of heath fires including very serious fires in neighbouring Dorset, it's absolute common sense to ban barbecues, and they've been banned in the NF for at least a few years now. (Close family lived on the edge of the Forest for 20 years.)

People interfering with the animals has also been an ongoing problem. Not only can it encourage aggression if food isn't supplied, but people feed TOTALLY inappropriate things (ie. a ham sandwich to a pony. ) which can kill. Even feeding apples etc can kill. No-one should EVER feed anyone else's animals. And then people get uptight if they're injured by one of the Forest animals - ie. a mare with a foal at foot. Encouraging animals towards the roads is one of the direct causes of increasing numbers of animal deaths on the roads. As is people's refusal to stick to the speed limits.