Best Practice Commons Management

Here we explore best practice in day to day management by commoners and the owners of common land. Topics will include livestock management, bracken control, burning, tracks & vehicles.

Agricultural Calendar

Commons are also grazed by cattle and ponies but the pattern of their use tends to vary from farm to farm and area to area, being governed more by the needs of the home farm than the common itself.

Livestock management

Hefting or Learing

These are the terms used to describe the settling and acclimatising of a flock of sheep to a particular part of a common. Hefting or learing is most frequent on commons in the upland areas of northern and southwest England.

Sheep identification and marking

On open fells and common land, sheep identification is an important issue. Farmers need to know which sheep belong to them and which belong to their neighbours.

The most common methods of identification are fleece (smit) marks - daubs of colour applied to the fleece, horn burns, often the owner’s or farm’s initials and distinctive cuts to the ears (lug marks): the combination of the two providing unique identification for individual farms in local areas. These wool and earmarks are often recorded in local shepherds' guides.

Shepherds’ meetings

Traditionally the business of returning stray sheep to their owners was communally organised and served an important practical purpose as well as a social occasion.

Each fell area had a shepherds' meet which was held twice a year - just before shearing and tupping times to ensure that each grazier had all his stock at this critical time. Stray sheep were gathered together to be identified and claimed by their rightful owners. Often fines were imposed before farmers could claim their sheep. Shepherds’ meets still go on today and mostly take the form of an agricultural show or social occasion. Their traditional function of collaborative gathering and returning stray sheep to their owners is much reduced but still occurs.

Under Grazed Commons

When grazing on a common is reduced or ceases, the vegetation traditionally associated with the common will change. Over a relatively short period of time, scrub will begin to encroach on formerly open areas and this will have a deleterious impact on the quality and biodiversity of ground vegetation. Read more about undergrazing below.

Managing Livestock on Commons with Unfenced Roads

Where roads cross a common, they are normally unfenced and, under these circumstances, the legal position is that provided a grazier has a right to graze the animals in question then, under the 1971 Animals Act, where damage is caused as a result of these animals straying on to a highway, the person who placed them on the land shall not be regarded as having committed a breach of the duty of care by reason of only placing them there. Click below for more information about the issues surrounding this.

Heather Burning

Heather burning is a regular activity on commons, particularly those with a shooting interest, where it is used to create a mosaic of different aged heather which is an ideal habitat for grouse.

Bracken Control

Bracken control is a significant aspect to the management of common land. Here is more information about it, along with different methods of dealing with excess bracken.

Unauthorised Agricultural Activities

The 2006 Commons Act gives Natural England powers to stop unauthorised agricultural activities on registered common land if these activities are detrimental to either the commoners’, landowners’ or public interest and if others who could have taken action against the activity, such as the landowner and right holders, have failed to do so. Click below to find out what is considered reasonable necessary activity and what is unauthorised.

Sporting Management

A large proportion of common land (approximately 30% across England) is managed for red grouse. Click below to learn about the implications of this for managing common land.