Minority status for Commoners

There is a growing movement of people seeking recognition of New Forest Commoners as a national minority under the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.

The case has been set out by National Park Authority Board member Brice Stratford in a report.

It outlines the case for recognising the New Forest Commoners as a ‘national Minority’ under the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCNM). The National Park Authority has sent a letter of support for the application.

It introduces the concept of national minority status and explains how the New Forest commoning community meets the criteria for such recognition.

It also articulates how official recognition could help address pressing challenges facing the community, and why now is an appropriate time to seek such formal recognition.