A REVIEW of commoning in the New Forest has outlined schemes to boost commoners' incomes and provide accommodation for them in years to come.

Carried out by the National Park Authority, the Verderers and New Forest Commoners' Defence Association members, the 94-page report brings a host of potential benefits to the people whose ponies and cattle shape the forest landscape.

Some of the projects outlined have been implemented such as the increase in the Single Farm Payments and the publication of wallet-sized card with contact numbers for drivers to carry with them in case they are involved in a road accident with an animal. Both were launched last week.

The New Forest Commoning Review 2007 also includes 17 broad recommendations regarding forest grazing needs, conservation, financial returns and the setting up of a young commoners' group.

Lack of affordable housing for commoners is a major issue in the New Forest where properties and building land prices are among the highest in the country outside the capital.

Projects recommended include developing full or part-ownership schemes with land owners and authorities, making the best use of sites, trust schemes and investigating whether there are ways of bracketing commoners' holdings with farms for inheritance tax purposes.

The report's author, Emma Rigglesworth, told the National Park Authority meeting: "It is hoped to come up with some generic designs for commoners' housing that people will be happy to see sitting in the landscape."

The document also suggests further research is carried out to identify and protect back-up grazing land for commoners' animals when they are removed from the forest.

Education and awareness of commoning and its conflicts with recreation and conservation also takes a high profile. It is suggested continuous campaigns are used to get messages across to the public. Audiences need to be identified and messages focussed on specific target groups.

Subjects include how to behave in the forest, how to behave around commoners' animals, the rights and responsibilities of commoners, how to drive on forest roads and the rights and responsibilities of people whose land adjoins the forest.

The NPA accepted the report in its entirety.