Longbridge Ponies
Longbridge Ponies brings the opportunity to improve the wellbeing and enjoyment of the National Park residents and the people who come to visit.
This is the chance to create a fundamental and robust improvement in the way Chalk Grassland is looked upon by its farmers and the understanding of the necessity to deliver a collaborative long-term “landscape scale” project.
Our team believes that this iconic landscape needs to be conserved through sustainable and innovative farming methods in order to enhance the biodiversity and ecological value of the land. It is also vital to conserve and enhance its natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage. In order to achieve this, the public need to be provided with a better understanding of the local environment; and thereby enjoy the special qualities of the National Park.
We believe that by supporting and empowering groups of farmers and interested bodies to integrate delivery of a range of environmental outcomes, a diverse and thriving business model is achievable which will act as a catalyst for change.
Longbridge Ponies brings the opportunity to improve the wellbeing and enjoyment of the National Park residents and the people who come to visit.
This is the chance to create a fundamental and robust improvement in the way Chalk Grassland is looked upon by its farmers and the understanding of the necessity to deliver a collaborative long-term “landscape scale” project.
Our team believes that this iconic landscape needs to be conserved through sustainable and innovative farming methods in order to enhance the biodiversity and ecological value of the land. It is also vital to conserve and enhance its natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage. In order to achieve this, the public need to be provided with a better understanding of the local environment; and thereby enjoy the special qualities of the National Park.
We believe that by supporting and empowering groups of farmers and interested bodies to integrate delivery of a range of environmental outcomes, a diverse and thriving business model is achievable which will act as a catalyst for change.
IMPLEMENTATION
IMPLEMENTATION
The project manages 120 ‘wild’ Exmoor ponies carrying out Conservation Grazing work in communities across the South Downs, a strategy recognised by the Government’s advisor, Natural England, as a vital tool in helping to maintain and enhance the natural and cultural value of England’s wildlife habitats for the future.
The project is currently engaged on a number of grazing sites. – Firle Escarpment SSSI, Cradle Hill in the Alfriston district, Lullington Heath, Mount Caburn and other smaller sites within the Cuckmere Valley locality.
Targeted grazing of the SSSI sites is an integral part of conservation plans working alongside the Conservators and Natural England. This project will be able to provide this service at a significant discount to the commercial cost of existing grazing operations, and offers a flexible service related to time of year, stocking density and grazing period.
In Sussex, large proportions of chalk grassland and heathland have been lost and, of what remains, much is considered to be in ‘unfavourable condition’ as defined by Natural England, the Government’s countryside advisor.
In Sussex, large proportions of chalk grassland and heathland have been lost and, of what remains, much is considered to be in ‘unfavourable condition’ as defined by Natural England, the Government’s countryside advisor. Habitats considered to be ‘recoverable’ are offered the highest environmental protection. Livestock grazing is necessary to restore and maintain the structure and composition upon which a variety of plants and animals now depend.
Our targeted grazing of SSSI sites is an integral part of efforts to meet the objective of restoring land to ‘favourable’ condition. SSSI work is largely funded through joint EU and Government-financed agrienvironmental grant schemes.
The project manages 120 ‘wild’ Exmoor ponies carrying out Conservation Grazing work in communities across the South Downs, a strategy recognised by the Government’s advisor, Natural England, as a vital tool in helping to maintain and enhance the natural and cultural value of England’s wildlife habitats for the future.
The project is currently engaged on a number of grazing sites. – Firle Escarpment SSSI, Cradle Hill in the Alfriston district, Lullington Heath, Mount Caburn and other smaller sites within the Cuckmere Valley locality.
Targeted grazing of the SSSI sites is an integral part of conservation plans working alongside the Conservators and Natural England. This project will be able to provide this service at a significant discount to the commercial cost of existing grazing operations, and offers a flexible service related to time of year, stocking density and grazing period.
In Sussex, large proportions of chalk grassland and heathland have been lost and, of what remains, much is considered to be in ‘unfavourable condition’ as defined by Natural England, the Government’s countryside advisor. Habitats considered to be ‘recoverable’ are offered the highest environmental protection. Livestock grazing is necessary to restore and maintain the structure and composition upon which a variety of plants and animals now depend.
Our targeted grazing of SSSI sites is an integral part of efforts to meet the objective of restoring land to ‘favourable’ condition. SSSI work is largely funded through joint EU and Government-financed agrienvironmental grant schemes.
WHY CONSERVATION GRAZING
Conservation grazing is a method of environmental management now in widespread use across the UK and increasingly around the world. Broadly speaking it is used to replicate an ecological function once provided by pastoral farming practices.
Many of the important wildlife habitats that exist in Britain today have been created through centuries of human management, often associated with grazing by livestock. The effect of these activities is to consistently halt the natural plant ‘succession’, that is, the progression from lower plants through to the ‘climax’ vegetation, usually woodland.
This creates what is called a ‘plagio-climatic’ or ‘semi-natural’ habitat, meaning a human-influenced habitat, of which chalk grassland and heathland are both examples. Over time, many species have evolved interdependently with these environments and therefore the cessation of grazing and resultant habitat loss threatens their continued survival.
WHY
CONSERVATION
GRAZING
Conservation grazing is a method of environmental management now in widespread use across the UK and increasingly around the world. Broadly speaking it is used to replicate an ecological function once provided by pastoral farming practices.
Many of the important wildlife habitats that exist in Britain today have been created through centuries of human management, often associated with grazing by livestock. The effect of these activities is to consistently halt the natural plant ‘succession’, that is, the progression from lower plants through to the ‘climax’ vegetation, usually woodland.
This creates what is called a ‘plagio-climatic’ or ‘semi-natural’ habitat, meaning a human-influenced habitat, of which chalk grassland and heathland are both examples. Over time, many species have evolved interdependently with these environments and therefore the cessation of grazing and resultant habitat loss threatens their continued survival.
WHAT DOES CONSERVATION
GRAZING ACHIEVE?
WHAT DOES
CONSERVATION
GRAZING ACHIEVE?
There are several key functions of managed grazing schemes:
Maintenance – the removal of vegetation whilst maintaining a varied sward structure and composition, which mechanical methods often destroy;
Restoration – controlling more aggressive, dominant species; this helps to increase competition, prevents and reduces scrub invasion and consequently encourages bio-diversity;
Removal of nutrients – it is partly the low nutrient value of soils on chalk grassland and heathland that maintains the biodiversity by not allowing any one species to flourish at the expense of others. Although animal dung adds nutrients, there is still a net overall loss, so long as the animals receive no additional feed;
Habitat re-creation – grazing animals can also be used to assist in transforming habitats, such as in woodland or arable reversion.
Other livestock such as cattle and sheep are widely used for conservation grazing. The more primitive, therefore hardier, breeds are utilised as they are better equipped to deal with harsh conditions and tend to forage on species that commercial breeds will not. Each graze in slightly different ways and therefore produce slightly different ecological effects. The choice depends upon the conservation objectives of each individual site. To ensure the greatest ecological benefit it is also crucial to consider the number of animals and the timing of grazing as under-grazing or over-grazing can have detrimental effects.
Because animals are selective in their grazing they achieve effects that machinery cannot. Grazing some areas very short and leaving taller ‘tussocky’ areas creates a mosaic of micro-habitats that support many different animal species. Being a more gradual method of removing vegetation than alternatives such as mowing or burning, grazing is also kinder to these inhabitants, giving them time to escape and relocate.
Further benefits of grazing animals are that they push through and break up the sward and trample invasive plants such as bracken. They also create areas of bare ground by ‘poaching’ the soil with their hooves. This provides a seed-bed for regenerating species and an important habitat for reptiles. Animal dung provides a micro-habitat for some important species such as beetles.
THE WIDER BENEFITS OF CONSERVATION GRAZING
Nowadays it is very difficult to make any commercial gain from keeping livestock on nutrient-poor habitats, particularly the more primitive breeds. However, grazing is still considered by many to be the more ‘traditional’ way to manage land that holds a cultural significance. This intrinsic ‘heritage value’ of the connection between human activity and the creation of these ancient landscapes is increasingly recognised to be important by society and policymakers and places a non-commercial value in the continuation of grazing semi-natural habitats.
There are several key functions of
managed grazing schemes:
Maintenance – the removal of vegetation whilst maintaining a varied sward structure and composition, which mechanical methods often destroy;
Restoration – controlling more aggressive, dominant species; this helps to increase competition, prevents and reduces scrub invasion and consequently encourages bio-diversity;
Removal of nutrients – it is partly the low nutrient value of soils on chalk grassland and heathland that maintains the biodiversity by not allowing any one species to flourish at the expense of others. Although animal dung adds nutrients, there is still a net overall loss, so long as the animals receive no additional feed;
Habitat re-creation – grazing animals can also be used to assist in transforming habitats, such as in woodland or arable reversion.
Other livestock such as cattle and sheep are widely used for conservation grazing. The more primitive, therefore hardier, breeds are utilised as they are better equipped to deal with harsh conditions and tend to forage on species that commercial breeds will not. Each graze in slightly different ways and therefore produce slightly different ecological effects. The choice depends upon the conservation objectives of each individual site. To ensure the greatest ecological benefit it is also crucial to consider the number of animals and the timing of grazing as under-grazing or over-grazing can have detrimental effects.
Because animals are selective in their grazing they achieve effects that machinery cannot. Grazing some areas very short and leaving taller ‘tussocky’ areas creates a mosaic of micro-habitats that support many different animal species. Being a more gradual method of removing vegetation than alternatives such as mowing or burning, grazing is also kinder to these inhabitants, giving them time to escape and relocate.
Further benefits of grazing animals are that they push through and break up the sward and trample invasive plants such as bracken. They also create areas of bare ground by ‘poaching’ the soil with their hooves. This provides a seed-bed for regenerating species and an important habitat for reptiles. Animal dung provides a micro-habitat for some important species such as beetles
THE WIDER BENEFITS OF CONSERVATION GRAZING
Nowadays it is very difficult to make any commercial gain from keeping livestock on nutrient-poor habitats, particularly the more primitive breeds. However, grazing is still considered by many to be the more ‘traditional’ way to manage land that holds a cultural significance. This intrinsic ‘heritage value’ of the connection between human activity and the creation of these ancient landscapes is increasingly recognised to be important by society and policymakers and places a non-commercial value in the continuation of grazing semi-natural habitats.
CONSERVATION GRAZING HUBS
CONSERVATION
GRAZING HUBS
THE WIDER BENEFITS OF
CONSERVATION GRAZING
The South Downs National Park is the most densely populated of all the National Parks in the country. Together with the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty they attract millions of visitors each year with nearby conurbations of Brighton, Eastbourne and Tunbridge Wells and London within easy driving distance. So besides the conservation gains of grazing, which help maintain the high wildlife interest upon these sites, the aesthetic improvement to the landscape and the attraction of the animals themselves are to the benefit of residents and visitors and the local tourist economy. Many of our pony grazing sites have public access in the form of public footpaths and bridleways. These areas have additional significance from a recreational standpoint, having been identified for use as ‘right to roam’ under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.
Finally and importantly, Longbridge provides a valuable role for non-breeding pure bred Exmoor ponies. Their impact on conservation grazing sites demonstrates the viability of the breed both in Sussex and across the UK.
OPPORTUNITIES
AND TRACTION
Alongside a need for managing existing habitat or the creation of new areas on their sites, the Longbridge project has identified more urgent issues such as degradation of habitat or difficult access to public sites due to overgrowth of invasive species, which can be improved through the introduction of grazing with ponies to these sites.
Public bodies such as the RSPB and National Trust have similarly identified grazing requirements on sites which they manage, and many of the sites could be grazed in consultation with the Government’s advisor, Natural England. In the case of many of the sites that the Pony Project is involved with, detailed ecological surveys and plans were drawn-up prior to engaging the project and continue to be followed by the managers of those sites as the projects progress.
The Project has been approached within the last month with a very exciting new grazing proposal to be announced in 2026!
THE WIDER BENEFITS OF CONSERVATION GRAZING
The South Downs National Park is the most densely populated of all the National Parks in the country. Together with the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty they attract millions of visitors each year with nearby conurbations of Brighton, Eastbourne and Tunbridge Wells and London within easy driving distance. So besides the conservation gains of grazing, which help maintain the high wildlife interest upon these sites, the aesthetic improvement to the landscape and the attraction of the animals themselves are to the benefit of residents and visitors and the local tourist economy. Many of our pony grazing sites have public access in the form of public footpaths and bridleways. These areas have additional significance from a recreational standpoint, having been identified for use as ‘right to roam’ under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.
Finally and importantly, Longbridge provides a valuable role for non-breeding pure bred Exmoor ponies. Their impact on conservation grazing sites demonstrates the viability of the breed both in Sussex and across the UK.
OPPORTUNITIES
AND TRACTION
Alongside a need for managing existing habitat or the creation of new areas on their sites, the Longbridge project has identified more urgent issues such as degradation of habitat or difficult access to public sites due to overgrowth of invasive species, which can be improved through the introduction of grazing with ponies to these sites.
Public bodies such as the RSPB and National Trust have similarly identified grazing requirements on sites which they manage, and many of the sites could be grazed in consultation with the Government’s advisor, Natural England. In the case of many of the sites that the Pony Project is involved with, detailed ecological surveys and plans were drawn-up prior to engaging the project and continue to be followed by the managers of those sites as the projects progress.
The Project has been approached within the last month with a very exciting new grazing proposal to be announced in 2026!
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