Beloved ponies in iconic UK beauty spot saved after Natural England U-turn | Politics | News
Dartmoor pony populations will be maintained at current levels, ministers have said, amid fears that the animal counting method will result in culling.
Campaigners have warned that a requirement to cut grazing on moorland commons under new contracts with the Government’s conservation agency Natural England could lead to the removal of up to 90% of hill ponies.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch described the situation as “utter madness”.
But the Department for the Environment (Defra) said ponies would now be excluded from stocking rate calculations; This means farmers will not be faced with the choice between keeping ponies or keeping sheep or cattle.
Pony numbers will be monitored across the moorland to ensure they remain stable.
The loss of ponies could damage the landscape’s biodiversity, campaigners say, as they are top grazers of the “monoculture” Molinia grass that dominates the moors.
Dartmoor hill ponies have lived in this area for 4,500 years, but due to historical policy changes their numbers have fallen from 6,000 25 years ago to less than a thousand today and they have been declared an endangered species.
Meanwhile, a pony supplement will be introduced into farming plans to remove any financial incentive to reduce populations, Defra said.
Marian Spain, Natural England chief executive, said: “Natural England is committed to Dartmoor’s ponies They play a central role in shaping the landscape and supporting nature, and we want to see them continue to do so.
“The Government policy changes announced today will allow us to work with farmers to secure the deals we need to save nature on Dartmoor.
“We will continue to work with the Dartmoor Land Use Managers Group and other local groups on the new framework to ensure a healthy and sustainable future for Dartmoor.”
Phil Stocker, chairman of Dartmoor Land Use Management Group, said: “This announcement pony giving guardians the reassurance they need that he’s a native of Dartmoor pony populations are a valuable and important part of Dartmoor’s ecology and culture.
“This is fully consistent with the work of DLUMG, where we are running trials to establish well-conducted evidence. poniesCattle and sheep can improve habitat conditions and benefit nature more widely.”
