RESIDENTS and visitors have been urged to remember they all have a part to play in protecting the New Forest after a pig was killed in a hit and run crash.

Commoner Lyndsey Stride made the appeal following the collision which involved one of her family’s seven pigs that had been out for the Pannage.

The animal was hit by a vehicle travelling through Emery Down on the afternoon of Monday, September 21.

Lyndsey said the driver involved had “inexcusably” not reported the crash.

The mother of two told the Daily Echo: “We have seen a lot of stories about commoners who have lost an animal and are upset about their animal. We are obviously upset but the bigger picture is what do we do now? Do we turn our pigs back out and have it happen again, do we give up keeping pigs and then the question is what happens to commoning, what happens to the traditional practice of Pannage?

“The reason we would be giving up is because people felt they had the right to drive fast down the road.

“The majority of drivers along the road we live on are rat-running Lyndhurst. They come straight off the A31 and they are in a very fast mindset and they really don’t care.

“The reality is that the New Forest is the most extraordinary place for wildlife and we have so many species which depend on commoners turning their animals out, but in order for all of those species to survive, commoning has to continue.

“If we say we don’t want to go through this again, we are not going turn our animals out anymore, then that has a massive impact on the Forest long term.

“People need to understand they have a responsibility. Just by driving slowly, they can help to manage the Forest. They become a part of the system of the Forest when they drive along the road.”

Lynsey said the number of visitors to the Forest dwarfed the number of commoners, who turn their animals out to help protect and preserve the district.

“I know you get some negative feedback of people saying ‘if you care about you animals, why do you turn them out’,” she added. I just want people to understand that we care about the Forest and our animals.”

“There are just a very, very few commoners when you compare it to the number of people who visit the Forest. There are 500 to 700 commoners and 15 million day visitors. That small number of people, along with the Forestry Commission and the other land owners, are responsible for the long-term health and wellbeing of the Forest.

“If we can’t do that because people want to drive fast, it is really, really sad.”

Details of the unreported fatal crash have been passed on to the Agister and in turn will be sent to police.

The Verderers of the New Forest operate a reward scheme with support from the New Forest Commoners’ Defence Association and the New Forest Pony Breeding and Cattle Society, whereby a reward of up to £5,000 is offered for information leading to a conviction of a hit and run driver.

Authorities across the district have carried out large campaigns attempting to raise awareness about the need to slow down on Forest roads.

“The add three minutes rule is really important,” said Lyndsey. “Adding three minutes to an average seven-mile journey. Dropping your speed to 30mph will only add three minutes, which is not a lot of time and is not a lot to give to ensure that you get to the end of your journey safely and the animals stay safe and we can carry on commoning.”