Native Ponies - Conservation Grazers

Latest Research (September 2004)

David is carrying out original research (1993- present) into the grazing characteristics and breed profiles of:

The Fell pony & The Welsh Mountain (Section A) pony

 

Latest Conference Presentations

Recently David presented two papers at the following conference:

One Earth – Many Worlds - International Geographical Congress – UK 2004 Glasgow

The 30th Congress of the International Geographical Union

 

Friday 20th August, 15.30 – 17.10 - RGS-IGB Mountains Research Group

 

Presentation 1:

 

‘Conservation Grazing in the British uplands: future roles of feral native breed equines, with reference to Fell and Welsh     Mountain (Section A) ponies’

                

To see an ABSTRACT of this presentation click here

 

Presentation 2:

 

 ‘Sustainable grazing of the British Uplands by native breed ponies: maintaining and enhancing biodiversity’

 

To see an ABSTRACT of this presentation click here

 

 

Conference presentations were supported by the following organisations:

· The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund under the England Rural Development Programme (Rural Enterprise Scheme)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

· Friends of the Lake District

· Brecon Beacons National Park Authority

· The Fell Pony Society

 

Aim of Research

Implications of C.A.P (Common Agricultural Policy) reform for the Fell pony and for the Welsh Mountain (Section A) pony, and their potential for conservation grazing, are being investigated.

Current research (Fell pony): The knowledge of 24 ‘upland’ (above 650 feet / 200 metres) and 16 ‘lowland’ Fell pony breeders constitutes this study.  Prior to this investigation, no data existed for the grazing characteristics or breed profile of this breed.

 

Current research (Welsh Mountain pony): Sixteen groups of Welsh Mountain (Section A) hill pony herds and six groups of Welsh Mountain (Section A) pony ‘conservation herds’ currently constitute this investigation.   The hill sample is significant because it represents most of the Welsh Mountain ponies living between 650 and 1500 feet (approximately 200 and 460 metres), for which no data exists.

 

FEASIBILITY STUDIES

David is currently completing a feasibility study on the Fell pony, with future recommendations to be made in a report.

 

Acknowledgements:

(1) This Fell pony project (feasibility study) is supported under the England Rural Development Programme (Rural Enterprise Scheme) by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund.

(2) This Fell pony project is also supported by:

·  Friends of the Lake District (research into native Fell ponies)

·  Fell Pony Society (research into native Fell ponies)

·  English Nature (Fell pony breed profile)

 

FEASIBILITY REPORTS

 

Fell pony:

 

A feasibility report on the grazing characteristics and breed profile of the Fell pony will be published at this site by 31st December 2004.

 

Welsh Mountain (Section A) pony

 

It is anticipated that a feasibility report on the grazing characteristics and breed profile of the Welsh Mountain (Section A) hill pony will be published at this site by 31st December 2005.

 

Recent newspaper articles and press releases - IGC UK 2004:

Recent articles, summarising David’s August 2004 conference presentations, are located at:

 

 

· Ponies help wildlife flourish, The Daily Telegraph, 21st August 2004, p 11

 

· Plight of dwindling Fell pony highlighted, The Guardian, 21st August 2004, p 7.

 

· Threatened pony breeds could thrive by grazing hills in place of sheep, The Independent, 21st August 2004, p 27.

 

· …as ponies eat hills into bloom, The Times, 21st August 2004, p 14.

 

· Rare ponies ‘are playing vital role’, The Leicester Mercury, 27th August 2004, p 22

The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) has issued a media release, 20th August 2004, prepared in collaboration with David

(E-mail: pictures@rgs.org): ‘Recruit ponies to save Uplands’, says conservationist.

 

See also: Native ponies key to upland conservation, Horse and Hound web site, 23rd August 2004.

 

Radio and T V interviews by David include: Radio Cumbria - 23rd August, BBC1 (T V) North-East – 23rd August, Radio Leicester – 24th August, BBC (Radio) Wales – 24th August, BBC1 T V North-West - 25th August, Border I T V – 3rd September. 

 

Footnote: David Anthony Murray cannot be help responsible for any inaccuracy or misinterpretation that may occur during the editing process for any reported news item. 

 

 

Relevant, recent articles by David Anthony Murray:

 

· Rough ride, The Guardian, 5th February 2003, Society – Environment, pps. 8-9

· Ponies in uphill fight for survival on fells, The Countryman, February 2003, pps. 51-54

· Untamed and exposed, The Countryman, April 2004, pps 38-44

· Lifeline for Fell ponies, Cumbria, May 2004, pps 16-19 (= keynote article)

 

Click here for link to the above articles

 

Other ongoing research on grazing characteristics of equines:

 

· Baseline information is currently being gathered on The Mule, in collaboration with the British Mule Society.

· Future studies of other native breed ponies are anticipated.

 

Website update © David Anthony Murray 1st September 2004

RGS&GA/RGS-IGB-CONF-2004-WEBSITE-RELEASE-PART1-VERSION-2

 

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