Long acre (road verge)

The long acre or long paddock is a traditional term for wide grassy road verges. In some places, such as Australia, New Zealand and parts of the British Isles, rural roads are often separated from adjoining paddocks and fields by both a hedge or fence and a wide grass verge. Rather than leaving this verge fallow, farmers often tether livestock on it to utilise pasture feed (in the form of the grass) which would otherwise be wasted. Historically the long acre was also grazed by herds or flocks moving from place to place, either on long journeys, or from one small local field to another. The long acre provided an important resource for such flocks and herds, perhaps forming a significant part of a small farmer's pasture.

The use of the long acre as pasture has sometimes become formalised, for example in parts of England where some have been been registered as common land.

ee also

*Drovers' road
*Stock route