New Forest marking fee increase for 2025

THE prices commoners pay for turning out their animals on the national park Crown Land and New Forest Commons has increased this year.

Costs for turning out ponies, cattle and donkeys onto the open Forest will increase by £1 to £29 per animal, with proportional increases for other animals types also agreed. The marking fees for animals grazed on the New Forest Commons will increase from £14 to £14.50 per animal for ponies and donkeys and £3.63 for cattle - which is worked out as an eighth of the open Forest fee.

Marking fees for sheep will be £12 per animal on the Forest and £6 for animals grazed on the commons. The fees paid for pigs which are turned out during the pannage season will be £5 for animals grazed on the Forest and £2.50 on the commons.

Speaking at the January meeting of the Verderers Court, the Official Verderer Edward Heron warned: “Marking fees are due from the 1st January. Under our byelaws, the deadline for payment of all marking fees for continuously depastured animals is 31st March. If not paid by 31st March, you will not be eligible to join the Verderers Grazing Scheme.”

Marking fees for animals which are not continuously on the Forest must be paid before the animals are turned out, said Mr Heron, adding: “It is the responsibility of commoners to volunteer payment of marking fees, not the responsibility of the agister to chase for them.”