New hope for ponies on Dartmoor
Members of the Pony Action Group (PAG) are approaching the forthcoming pony drifts and annual pony sale on Dartmoor with renewed optimism.
PAG members include three statutory bodies: The Dartmoor Commoners’ Council, Dartmoor National Park Authority and Natural England as well as those organisations involved in pony management on the moor, Dartmoor Hill Pony Association, Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust, Dartmoor Pony Moorland Scheme (overseen by the Duchy of Cornwall), Dartmoor Pony Society and the Dartmoor Livestock Protection Society.
Members of the group are working together to resolve various pony related issues and are taking action to ensure there is a healthy and sustainable pony population grazing the Commons of Dartmoor. The Pony Action Group wants to ensure that there is a future for the ponies on Dartmoor.
The reduction in the number of foals produced annually has had the desired effect. There is an increase in the number of people wanting to purchase foals, riding and driving ponies and a growing demand for ponies to provide conservation grazing.
There are also a number of initiatives in place to support the ponies. A contraceptive project has been undertaken by the Dartmoor Hill Pony Association. The Commoners’ Council is taking the lead on a literature review to collate existing evidence to establish the value of conservation grazing by ponies on the moor. This review has the full backing of all PAG members and a number are also financially supporting it.
Natural England has offered to help scope the review to ensure it addresses a perceived lack of scientific evidence on the value of pony grazing. This evidence is required if ponies are to be properly recognised in future agri-environmental schemes. This review will compliment a major research study being undertaken by Plymouth University and Dartmoor Zoological Park on behalf of and funded by the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust.
The Pony Action Group was formed in the winter of 2009 by Natural England and Dartmoor National Park Authority, who in 2008 through their respective Joint Action Plan were concerned about declining numbers of ponies on Dartmoor. They brought together the three statutory bodies to work alongside the various pony groups and specific individuals on Dartmoor who have an interest in pony keeping and their direct management.
The primary role of PAG is to support and preserve healthy ponies in sustainable numbers that continue to graze on Dartmoor commons and surrounding areas to help maintain its cultural heritage, biodiversity and landscape qualities and for the enjoyment of the general public and tourism.
The pony is the emblem of Dartmoor National Park and the National Park Authority hosts meetings of the PAG. Robert Steemson, Chairman of the Pony Action Group and Head Ranger, Dartmoor National Park said: ‘At a recent meeting of the group it was decided to develop web site pages explaining the wider PAG role, to revise and update our Ponies on Dartmoor leaflet and look for funding to get some information boards at key sites to explain the importance of ponies on the moor to visitors.'
