The New Forest National Park is a world capital for wildlife, home to a huge diversity of rare plants and animals - one of the primary reasons it was designated a National Park in 2005. This 220-square-mile landscape is famously shaped by the "architects of the forest": the ponies, donkeys, cattle, and pigs that roam freely through its heathlands and villages.

But for a Parish Council, this unique setting brings a specific set of administrative and community hurdles that you won’t find in any standard "Proper Practices" guide. 

Join Gale Pettifer, Clerk & Proper Officer at Brockenhurst Parish Council, and go behind the scenes of a New Forest council to explore what it's like having commoners’ livestock wandering through the village, and the benefits and challenges that it brings.

You will discover:

• The Living Landscape: An introduction to the grazing system that shapes the Forest and why these animals are essential to its biodiversity.
• Governance in the Wild: The practical reality of managing a village where ponies, donkeys, cattle and pigs always have the right of way - from road safety to open-gate policies.
• The "National Park" Layer: How a Parish Council interacts with the New Forest National Park Authority, Verderers, and Agisters to protect the area’s unique status.
• Sustainable Future: How local councils contribute to the goal of creating a place where both nature and people can thrive together.