Farming Today This Week

Is there a future for common land? Sarah Swadling explores an ancient grazing tradition and asks if its decline is having a serious impact on landscape, farming and wildlife.

Centuries ago, common land accounted for half of Britain's landscape. Now these unfenced and open spaces accounts for only 5%. But why the decline and who are today's 'commoners'?

There are tens of thousands of people who have the right to graze common land but don't exercise that right,
Farming Today visit the Chilterns, the Lake District, the Malvern Hills and the Isle of Skye in Scotland to hear the difficulties faced by old and young grazers alike.

Produced by Clare Freeman.