Wild Creatures and Forest Laws Act 1971

The Wild Creatures and Forest Laws Act 1971 (c. 47) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The act implemented recommendations contained in the second report on statute law revision,^[1] by the Law Commission.

Wild Creatures and Forest Laws Act 1971^[a]

Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	An Act to abolish certain rights of Her Majesty to wild creatures and certain related rights and franchises; to abrogate the forest law (subject to exceptions); and to repeal enactments relating to those rights and franchises and to forests and the forest law; and for connected purposes.
Citation	1971 c. 47
Territorial extent	Does not extend to Scotland, except for the partial repeal of section 2 of the Night Poaching Act 1828.[b]
Dates
Royal assent	1 July 1971
Commencement	1 July 1971[c]
Other legislation
Repeals/revokes	Charter of the Forest 1217 Ordinance of the Forest 1305 Ordinance of the Forest 1306 Customs and Assise of the Forest 27 Hen. 8. c. 7 Delimitation of Forests Act 1640 Dean Forest Act 1667 New Forest Act 1697 New Forest Act 1800 41 Geo. 3. (U.K.) c. 108 50 Geo. 3. c. 116 50 Geo. 3. c. ccxviii 52 Geo. 3. c. 71 52 Geo. 3. c. 72 53 Geo. 3. c. 158 55 Geo. 3. c. 122 55 Geo. 3. c. 138 55 Geo. 3. c. 190 56 Geo. 3. c. 132 58 Geo. 3. c. 99 58 Geo. 3. c. 100 5 Geo. 4. c. 99 6 Geo. 4. c. 132 Crown Lands Act 1829 6 & 7 Will. 4. c. 3 Dean Forest (Encroachments) Act 1838 Dean Forest Act 1842 7 & 8 Vict. c. 13 12 & 13 Vict. c. 81 14 & 15 Vict. c. 43 New Forest Act 1851 Whichwood Disafforesting Act 1853 Whittlewood Disafforesting Act 1853 16 & 17 Vict. c. 42 17 & 18 Vict. c. 49 18 & 19 Vict. c. 46 Whichwood Disafforesting Amendment Act 1856 Hainault Forest (Allotment of Commons) Act 1858 29 & 30 Vict. c. 70 Abbot's Wood (Dean Forest) Act 1870 Epping Forest Act 1871 Epping Forest Amendment Act 1872 Epping Forest Act 1873 Epping Forest Act 1875 New Forest Highways Act 1883 East and West Dean (Highways) Act 1883 New Forest (Sale of Lands for Public Purposes) Act 1902
Relates to	Night Poaching Act 1828
Status: Amended
Text of statute as originally enacted
Revised text of statute as amended

Provisions

Section 1(1) repealed the longest standing statute in England, the Charter of the Forest 1217, by abolishing “any prerogative right of Her Majesty to wild creatures (except royal fish and swans) together with any prerogative right to set aside land or water for the breeding, support or taking of wild creatures; and any franchises of forest, free chase, park or free warren.” This preserves Crown rights of ownership over royal fish (whales and sturgeons) and mute swans.

In section 2(3), the words from "and" onwards were repealed by section 41(1) of, and Part I of Schedule 6 to, the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973.

See also

• English land law
• UK environmental law
• Charter of the Forest 1217

Notes

1. Section 2(1).
2. Section 2(2).
3. The Acts of Parliament (Commencement) Act 1793.