Greenham and Crookham Commons have been common land for hundreds of years. However, during the cold war when most of the area was occupied by RAF Greenham Common, parts of the common land were deregistered. There was also no public access, except to areas on the fringe of common which were outside the airbase.

Greenham Common under heavy snow

Following the closure of the base and the transfer of ownership to WBC, the G&CC Act 2002 restored the whole area to common land, made it access land, and set some ground rules for its management by WBC and the Commission. As a public open space owned by the local authority, the commons are now managed for a variety of goals. These include recreation and visitor access, the exercise of commoners' rights, and conservation of biodiversity and landscape. Menu links above provide more information on these themes.

Since 2014 the commons have been managed on WBC's behalf by the Bucks, Berks and Oxon Wildlife Trust (BBOWT). Land anagement work is carried out by BBOWT staff, contractors, and volunteers. Seasonal wardens employed by BBOWT during the summer months are involved in visitor engagement.