New Forest verderer re-appointed

The re-appointment of Mrs Patricia Thorne as a Verderer of the New Forest was announced today by Forestry Minister Barry Gardiner.

Defra appoints one of 10 verderers in the New Forest. Their responsibilities include control of grazing rights and matters of trespass. Verderers also protect the interests of commoning - the right to use common land, for example for grazing purposes. Among other responsibilities, Defra's verderer has a particular interest in monitoring the welfare of livestock and horses on the Forest.

Mrs Thorne, a former National Health Service Radiographer and retired smallholder, is a practising commoner turning out cattle and ponies. Mrs Thorne is Vice Chair and the founder member of 'Commoning Animals Protection Society' (CAPS) - a small registered welfare charity and member of the National Equine Welfare Council. She has already served one 3-year term as the Defra verderer.

Mrs Thorne's re-appointment to the Court of Verderers begins on 27 July 2006 and is for three years. The appointment is unpaid.

Notes to editors

1. The post of Defra appointed Verderer is a statutory appointment made by the Secretary of State. The Defra Verder is appointed as an independent person and does not serve to represent the Department, nor to put its views forward at Court or in any other forum.

2. The Verderers of the New Forest derive their offices, powers and responsibilities from the various New Forest Acts. They consist of the Official Verderer who is Chairman, five elected Verderers who represent the commoners and four appointed Verderers (one each appointed by the Forestry Commission, Defra, the local authority and the Countryside Agency).

3. The Verderers share the management of the New Forest with the Forestry Commission. More information about verderers can be found at: www.verderers.org.uk.

4. The term 'verderer' originates from the description under English forest law of someone who looks after the 'vert' and 'venison' - the trees and deer - in the four royal forests. Verderers also have certain magisterial functions at Court in connection with offences against Verderers' byelaws.

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