In certain areas of

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

, conservators are statutory bodies which manage areas of countryside for the use of the public.

Establishment, role and powers

Conservators are bodies corporate generally established, and granted their powers, by a scheme made under the Commons Act 1876 ( 39 & 40 Vict. c. 56) or by a local act of Parliament.See individual Conservators' websites below, but for example the River Cam Conservancy Act 1922, th
Ashdown Forest Act 1974
or th
County of Kent Act 1981
The exact role and powers of each group of conservators are defined by their establishing act and vary, but in general terms their role is to: * regulate and manage their area for public recreation, * protect the rights of commoners (if applicable) and * conserve the natural beauty of their area. Conservators often have the power to manage the land, and the trees, plants and animals on it, to provide recreation facilities, to control activity within their area, regulate navigation on waterways and to make byelaws.

Membership

Membership of boards of conservators varies according to the terms of the individual legislation that established them. Examples of types of member include those: * elected by commoners or local residents * appointed by local councils * appointed by universities * appointed by a

lord of the manor Lord of the manor is a title that, in Anglo-Saxon England and Norman England, referred to the landholder of a historical rural estate. The titles date to the English Feudalism, feudal (specifically English feudal barony, baronial) system. The ...

Future

The Commons Act 2006 provided for the establishment of commons councils to manage common land. Those provisions of the act are not yet in force, but the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) plans to bring them into force in the spring of 2009. The commons councils established under the act will have a similar role to that of existing conservators. According to DEFRA's website, commons councils will only be established where there is a local wish and will not be imposed. Where a commons council is established, the act provides powers for DEFRA to alter or remove existing management arrangements (which could include Conservators) where they might conflict with the functions granted to a new commons council.How is Common Land managed?
Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Examples of conservators

* Conservators of Ashdown ForestConservators of Ashdown Forest
* Malvern Hills Conservators * Conservators of the River CamConservators of the River Cam
/ref> * Banstead Commons Conservators * Wimbledon and Putney Commons Conservators * Tumbridge Wells Commons ConservatorsTunbridge Wells Commons Conservators
/ref> * Mitcham Common Conservators * Shenfield Common Conservators * Epsom and Walton Downs Conservators *

Mousehold Heath Mousehold Heath is a freely accessible area of heathland and woodland which lies to the north-east of the Middle Ages, medieval city boundary of Norwich, in the English county of Norfolk. The name also refers to the much larger area of open ...

Conservators * Conservators of Therfield Heath and Greens * Oxshott Heath Conservators *

Chislehurst Chislehurst () is a suburban district of south-east London, England, in the London Borough of Bromley. It lies east of Bromley, south-west of Sidcup and north-west of Orpington, south-east of Charing Cross. Before the creation of Greater ...

and St Paul's Cray Commons Conservators * The

Common Council of the City of London The Court of Common Council is the primary decision-making body of the City of London Corporation. It meets nine times per year. Most of its work is carried out by committees. City of London Corporation elections , Elections are held at least eve ...

is the Conservator of

Epping Forest Epping Forest is a area of ancient woodland, and other established habitats, which straddles the border between Greater London and Essex. The main body of the forest stretches from Epping in the north, to Chingford on the edge of the Lond ...

* Cleeve Common Board of Conservators

Similar bodies

Dartmoor Dartmoor is an upland area in southern Devon, South West England. The moorland and surrounding land has been protected by National Park status since 1951. Dartmoor National Park covers . The granite that forms the uplands dates from the Carb ...

Commoners' CouncilDartmoor Commoners' Council
/ref> * Greenham and Crookham Commons Commissioners

Notes

{{Reflist Conservation in the United Kingdom Conservation in England English coast and countryside Environmental organisations based in the United Kingdom