The Foundation for Common Land heralds the long-awaited news that the registers of common land throughout England are to be brought up-to-date, as a life-line for the countryside. Together with the Open Spaces Society, the Foundation had spearheaded a campaign on behalf of 18 different countryside bodies concerned with the protection and management of common land.
“This announcement will help conserve one of our countryside’s most precious resources” explained the Foundation’s chairperson, Julia Aglionby. “Commons provide more benefits to the public and the environment than any other category of farmland. Yet until now commons have suffered because there has been no definitive record of common land and rights. This has prevented farmers from being able to manage the land effectively for public benefit.”
The announcement came from environment minister Dan Rogerson in a written Statement published in Parliament. The registers of commons will be fully updated in Cumbria and North Yorkshire, which holds 70% of English commons, but only partially across the rest of the country.
There are 7,000 commons in England, covering nearly 400,000ha. Found in all areas from remote uplands to England’s largest cities, no-one is ever far from common land. A remarkable 88% of all English common land is designated because it is nationally or internationally important for wildlife, landscape, and archaeology, and all open for public enjoyment.
“At one time commons occupied about half of England” explained Julia Aglionby, “whereas now they cover just 3% of the country. This makes it more important than ever to ensure they are farmed effectively. Today’s announcement is the first step on that path. We are urging the government to follow the lead in Cumbria and North Yorkshire so that the registers are fully updated in all parts of the country as swiftly as possible.”
