‘People & Pony Power’

• The DPHT leases 82ha of moorland from the Forestry Commission at Bellever.
• Bellever is home to some of the best heather heathland on Dartmoor and has an abundant supply of scheduled monuments.
• The Trust has a 10 year Higher Level Stewardship agreement including a Native Breeds at Risk Supplement.
• The Trust runs a herd of up to 26 Dartmoor ponies on the site; all owned by local farmers.
• Ponies graze the site whilst they mature to a more saleable age at approximately 4yrs old.
• During the maturing process they graze the area; browsing for up to eighteen hours a day and trampling the rank grasses creating room and light for more sensitive plants to establish.
• The moorland area at Bellever sits within a 1,000 acre holding, giving the herd a huge acreage to cover. When taking into account the additional area for the ponies to roam; the stocking density lowers to a level where a herd of 26 ponies struggle to keep up with an increase in annual growth, due to the increasingly wet summers which make ideal growing conditions for grass.
• In addition to pony grazing the site requires further management to keep on top of the Sikla Spruce - Christmas Trees which do not form part of the pony’s diet.
• Management is required to remove the saplings and trees which have seeded on the open moorland.
• The idea of building a project to involve people and ponies became even more important following meetings with Dartmoor National Park Archaeologists to discuss how we can ensure the scheduled monuments are seen and not hidden under a duvet of thick tussocky grass.

By accessing Natural England HLS Specialist Project funds we have created a multi faceted project using native Dartmoor Ponies to motivate and inspire local communities to get involved in constructive destruction! From end of September through to the end of March we run a series of volunteer events enticing families and local groups to attend Christmas tree removal up to December and January through to March molinia raking from around hut circles, ancient pounds and tranches of moorland for research into heather re-generation. We are also investigating uses for the dry removed molinia. It may be sufficiently absorbent to be used for animal bedding.

The DPHT provides volunteers a highly unusual outdoor experience.  As the groups work they will learn about the archaeology on the site, the history of the pony and learn how to work a pair of Dartmoor ponies pulling trees of the site and pulling a chain harrow to remove the molinia. When volunteers are taking turns in working with the ponies the group will cut, dig or pull the Christmas tree saplings. All volunteers will be encouraged to take a free tree home for Christmas. As we enter the New Year we will be back on site raking the molinia with hand rakes and taking turns in chain harrowing with the pony team.

It is a perfect opportunity for participants to get fit, learn about Dartmoor, the archaeology, flora and fauna whilst carrying out important work to manage this very special site.

But most important for the DPHT is having an environmentally friendly project using a green alternative to a quad bike or tractor, the ponies are more than capable of the workload required and will be much kinder to the sensitive site, avoiding poaching and wheel tracks in soft muddy areas, reducing the risk of erosion.

The Dartmoor Pony has always been part of a working environment, from pack animal to child’s riding pony, here we have the opportunity to use the pony as a part of our future heritage whilst we look back at its past, the Dartmoor pony is back working on Dartmoor!

Project partners:

Natural England

Forestry Commission

Dartmoor National Park Authority Archaeology, Ranger and Education service

Coombeshead College

Teign School

Wild Things – Mental Health group

BTCV

Tomorrows People

DPHT Volunteers and families

If you would like to join one of our work parties please contact Dru Butterfield - dru@dpht.co.uk or phone 01626 355314

Background information:

The Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust (DPHT) is a registered charity based on Dartmoor. Created in 2005, its remit is to preserve the indigenous Dartmoor pony herds through innovative educational projects; promoting the many benefits of the Dartmoor Pony’s placid temperament, which is essential in a child’s riding pony or as a conservation grazing tool in land management. The DPHT has worked tirelessly to ensure our native herds remain on the commons of Dartmoor; as they play a particularly important ecological role and are used extensively across the moor to maintain and improve a range of wildlife habitats. They are particularly effective in the grazing of Molinia (Purple Moor Grass) and Gorse.