West Wellow Common is owned and maintained by Wellow Parish Council. Before 1800 the common extended northwards beyond the turnpike (now the A36). Under the Enclosure Act of 1811 more than half the common land (comprising the area of the hamlet of Canada and part of the present West Wellow village) was enclosed and divided between the land owners of West Wellow who had Rights of Common. The rest remained unenclosed common land for the general use of parishioners of West Wellow.

The position was reinforced in the records of the Tither Commissioners in 1837 who recorded that the Parish officers were the owners of this Common and the land was free of tithes.

Control was formally passed to the Parish Council in 1930 by the Lady of the Manor, Mrs Helen Chichester

West Wellow Common forms part of the New Forest Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It is also a Special Protection Area under EC Directive on the conservation of wild birds and a Ramsar Convention on wetlands of International Importance

The extensive dry grassland and dry heath areas are closely grazed in this part of the Forest resulting in a short turf favored by important populations of breeding woodlark. Scattered gorse throughout the site supports a great diversity of insect life, which in turn supports an interesting range of heathland birds including the Dartford warbler, stonechat, lapwing and linnet.