New Forest National Park Awards

You do not need to match all criteria to enter, but please provide evidence of meeting as many of these criteria points as possible.

To qualify, nominees must live, work or practise within the awards boundary.

Young Farmer (35 years and below)

• Engages in and represents Forest life
• Demonstrates commitment to wildlife/environment
• Evidence of a forward-thinking approach to farming/commoning
• Encourages and supports other young farmers/commoners
• Active member of a young farmer/commoner organisation
• Evidence of a sustained commitment to farming/commoning

Best Supporter of Local Produce

• Produces, serves and/or sells/uses local produce
• Prioritises quality of product
• Promotes/champions New Forest produce
• Evidence of support for local produce over a sustained period of time
• Offers advice and support to other local producers
• Takes an innovative approach to producing their product or selling products
• Makes use of new technology to promote local produce

Sustainability Champion

• Promotes/utilises renewable/sustainable energy
• Responsible for initiating or driving involvement in a sustainability project
• Has made sustained efforts to reduce their consumption of utility services
• Evidence of measures taken to reduce the impact of transportation
• Evidence of measurable, sustainable change as a result of work undertaken
• The project/individual goes above and beyond standard sustainability practice
• Project is likely to continue to operate for the foreseeable future

Commoning Champion

• Demonstrates sustainability and regenerative farming in the context of the New Forest as well as responsibility for, respect and care of the New Forest landscape
• Demonstrates support for the commoning community eg as member of the CDA and/or New Forest Marque, attending Verderers Court, supporting/attending drifts
• Demonstrates a commitment to public education
• Has a strong commitment to high welfare standards and practices, overall condition of cattle and ponies
• Has a management plan for the holding and improvement of livestock
• Contributes to the management of the interaction between visitors and his / her stock
• Demonstrates an understanding of the history of commoning and the forest and the role of the different organisations in managing the New Forest landscape

Farming and Nature Champion

• Encourages engagement with the natural environment e.g. Open Farm Sunday/ school and educational visits, including use of the Commoners Defence Association and New Forest Pony Breeding and Cattle Society education trailer
• Uses resources from the natural environment in a more sustainable and efficient way, e.g. water, renewable energy, public benefits
• Resource protection – e.g. infield buffer strips, protecting water courses and hedgerow planting
• Engages in voluntary initiatives – Cluster Farming, Big Farmland Bird Count
• Delivers habitat restoration and connectivity, including enhancing existing features for farmland wildlife e.g. beetle banks, conservation grazing
• Enhances biosecurity
• Improves soil health

Open to all, the Farming and Nature Champion Award reflects the contribution made by landowners, land managers, farmers and commoners to improving the natural environment, cultural heritage and access to the countryside.

Young Environmental Champion (25 years and below)

• Aged 25 or younger, living or working within the awards boundary
• Leads or engages in projects to improve the natural world
• Improves people’s understanding of the state of the environment, the benefits a healthy environment can bring, and the effect of their actions on the natural world
• Helps communities and businesses to reduce their impact on the environment through greener decision-making
  Inspires people to enrich the environment, encouraging individuals and organisations to actively improve their local environment