A 345-year-old Forest tradition received a new lease of life last week.

There have been Inclosure Commissions since King Charles II signed the Dean Forest Reafforestation Act in 1668.

Each commission sits until there are only three commissioners left, two of whom have to be magistrates.

The 2013 commission sat for the first time last week, replacing the one that had been established in 1999.

After it was agreed to disband the previous commission a process was set in motion which led to the Queen's Remembrancer signing a warrant on September 11.

That warrant instructed 15 new commissioners and the Deputy Surveyor of the Forest, Kevin Stannard, to sit as the 2013 commission.

The commission, which met in the Verderers' Court at the Speech House Hotel last Thursday, is only the fourth since 1962.

Mr Stannard, said: "The role of the commission has never changed.

"It is essentially to inspect the areas proposed for inclosing against browsing animals for the purpose of establishing young trees and to ensure they are opened again after the trees have grown beyond the stage where they may be damaged by browsing animals.

"The commissioners also ensure that there is never more than 11,000 acres inclosed at any one time and to have a general concern for the health and vigour of the Forest's timber."

After meeting at the Speech House, the commissioners visited areas to be inclosed for planting and others which are to be opened for grazing.

The new commissioners are: Bob Jenkins, David Price, Ken Humphries, Rob Dix, Kath Knight, John Freeman, Linda Phelps, David Williams, Ian Standing, Ceri Evans, Kieron Griffin, Royston Pritchard, Trevor Jones, Barrie Davies and Ian Hendy.