charter of the forest

The Charter of the Forest, signed in 1217 alongside the Magna Carta, was a significant legal document in England that reestablished common people's rights to access and use forests, which had become restricted by Norman rulers. It ensured that villagers could foraging, grazing, and collecting firewood from royal forests, protecting their traditional interests. This Charter aimed to limit the king’s control over these lands, balancing royal authority with the rights of commoners, and laid early foundations for legal protections for community rights over natural resources.