A handful of sheep returned to the open Forest on Monday, a year after the roaming flocks were taken out in the Foot and Mouth clearance.
Two sheep owners returned animals to the woods as the row continues between members of the Commoners' Association and DEFRA over the payment of an allowance to enable the animals to be penned so that hefting can take place.
The payments would cover the cost of providing pens to allow the sheep to adjust to their own particular parts of the Forest and limit the possibility of strays.
Commoners say payments have already been made in other parts of the country but are being refused in the Forest.
They claim the refusal is groundless and say it could result in the agreement between the Association, the Forestry Commission, local councils and the police being made worthless before it has begun.
The Commoners say that without hefting sheep could quickly become a nuisance in local towns and villages.