Latest news with #AshdownForest
The Guardian
12-06-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Saving Britain's precious habitats from invasive grasses
Regarding George Monbiot's article (There's an invader turning huge swathes of Britain into deserts – and these dead zones are spreading, 9 June), yes, molinia (purple moor-grass) is a serious scourge of many of the UK's acidic upland landscapes. In 1999, while still residing in my home county of East Sussex, I began a conservation grazing initiative using Exmoor ponies to combat the growing threat to the South Downs' chalk grasslands from a very similar grass, Brachypodium (tor grass), which back then I estimated was affecting well in excess of 200 hectares. This grass is of little use to farmers and also seriously depletes biodiversity. In 2004, we began to get increasingly involved with the extensive acid grasslands in the high, acid heath and grasslands of the Ashdown Forest area, involving four different landowners – Sussex Wildlife Trust, Sussex Police Authority, the Ministry of Defence and the Conservators of Ashdown. Here, pony grazing was mainly to combat the rampant spread of molinia. The most spectacular result was on the MoD's 200-hectare training area, which had not been grazed within living memory. This was transformed from mainly thick molinia to open swards within several years of grazing 32 Exmoors year-round. It also minimised the previous extensive fires caused by army pyrotechnics. I too consider the rampant spread of these two grass species as being due to nitrogen pollution, aided to a lesser extent by less grazing. I retired in 2017, then running 85 ponies. Today in East Sussex, there are in the region of 150 Exmoors carrying on what I initiated a quarter of a century LarkinSt Dogmaels, Pembrokeshire Having been an upland farmer for half a century, I share George Monbiot's concerns about the growing domination of molinia in some regions. However, a century ago, Robert Wallace, professor of agriculture and rural economy at Edinburgh University, explained in his book, Heather and Moor Burning for Grouse and Sheep, that control of this plant can be ensured through the time-honoured combination of rotational winter-burning and active shepherding. These ancient skills ensured that the growth of molinia was checked by managing the flock to graze off its early-spring shoots. After the animals had been moved to their in-bye lambing fields, the moor's later-emerging, more fragile plants were able to thrive. To prevent neglected moors from turning into lifeless deserts of overgrown molinia and tick-infested bracken, perhaps we should be paying more attention to the wisdom of our Harrison Snitter, Northumberland Far from crowding out other plants and wildlife, purple moor-grass is in fact a key indicator of an increasingly rare habitat – known in Devon as culm grassland and in Wales as rhôs pasture – that is home to rare plants like devil's-bit scabious and butterflies such as the marsh fritillary, which depends on it for food and reproduction. On our former farm in north-west Devon, we now manage the land precisely to protect this highly threatened ecosystem. George Monbiot is right to point out that walking over such land is far from easy, owing to the plant's tussocky nature, but I suggest he takes a leaf out of Devon Wildlife Trust's excellent short film about the culm, Never Mind the Tussocks (Here's the Wildlife). He might learn something NeweyPancrasweek, Devon Re molinia grass sucking the life out of biodiversity, the solution is hiding in plain sight: England's last semi-wild pony population – the iconic Dartmoor hill ponies. Studies, tests and surveys published in prestigious scientific journals confirm that Dartmoor semi-wild ponies not only eat molinia, but are also perfectly adapted over millennia of roaming Dartmoor to thrive in the highest and harshest parts where that job is needed most. George Monbiot and the campaigner Tony Whitehead should not despair for Dartmoor biodiversity. Instead, they should focus their efforts on asking Defra to ensure its policies nurture and sustain the number of Dartmoor hill ponies, and biodiversity will be burgeoning here once FaulknerDartmoor Hill Pony Association
BBC News
19-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Winnie the Pooh forest culling scheme donates 170,000 meals
About 170,000 meals have been donated to foodbanks, community kitchens and homeless shelters through a deer culling scheme in East the most recent season, between November and March, 884 fallow doe were culled in Ashdown Forest, made famous by AA Milne's Winnie the Pooh and his fictional home Thomas, chief executive of food poverty charity The Country Food Trust, said: "Protein is the most expensive food group, it's therefore the least likely to be donated to a foodbank."Animal rights group Peta said the deer population did not need to be managed and that culling caused a "rebound" as it led to a spike in the food supply for the surviving animals. The most recent season was the first time the meat had been donated through The Country Food Trust, with almost 70 foodbanks benefiting, the charity has already been agreed that the scheme will continue during the next culling are culled as over-grazing can prevent the regeneration of woodland, which can have a knock-on impact on other species - including dormice and butterflies, the charity Thomas said there were an estimated two million deer in the country and 750,000 needed to be culled every year in order to keep the population under control. At the start of 2024, the deer population in Ashdown Forest was estimated to be three-times higher than what it should have Thomas said: "By us culling 884 fallow does, it's the equivalent of saving 40,000 deer being on the land in the next 10 years."The charity has been in talks with other locations across the UK to see if similar food donation schemes can be put in place."I'm making sure that the food goes to people in need," Ms Thomas added. A Peta spokesperson said: "If killing actually reduced animal populations, lethal methods wouldn't be proposed year after year. "Humans owe it to these gentle animals, whose habitat has been taken from them, to find humane, sustainable methods of population control – and that doesn't mean gunning them down and using them as sandwich filler."The Ashdown Forest Trust has been contacted for a comment.
Times
18-05-2025
- General
- Times
A deer cull saved Winnie-the-Pooh forest — and fed the hungry
A deer cull credited with saving Ashdown Forest, the ancient landscape made famous by AA Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh stories, will be extended across the country to protect landscapes from ecological destruction. Wild deer are roaming Britain in their largest numbers for a millennium. An estimated population of two million poses a threat to woodland biodiversity and is causing significant damage to tree plantations and crops. A conservation project in Sussex that gave rangers funding to shoot four times more deer not only protected the forest, but also provided venison for more than 170,000 donated meals at a cost of less than 60p per meal. The trial, run by the Country Food Trust and funded by a wealthy conservationist, has proved such a success in its first
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Yahoo
The beautiful forest that inspired Winnie the Pooh just 2 hours from London
Looking for the perfect day out but aren't sure where to head? Then you're in luck, as we have the perfect destination for you. Ashdown Forest in East Sussex is an ancient area of open heathland and part of the High Weald National Landscape. The forest is most famous for being the location that inspired the children's stories, the adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh by A.A Milne. Ashdown Forest is easy to get to from London, taking just under two hours via car, or you can take the train with a similar journey length. The forest covers 10 square miles and is one of the largest open-access areas in Southeast England, according to the Ashdown Forest website. The land is home to many rare and threatened species and has a rich human history connected to Kings and more. A.A. Milne lived on the edge of the forest and would often explore the area with his son, Christopher Robin. The stories of Winnie the Pooh gained mass popularity when they were illustrated by E.H. Shepard. It's understood that E.H. Shepard used Ashdown Forest to create the images for the fictional Hundred Acre Wood. Since then, the forest has attracted thousands of fans of Pooh who explore spots like Pooh Sticks Bridge, Galleon's Lap, Roo's Sandy Pit, the Heffalump Trap and the Enchanted Place. On the edge of Ashdown Forest is Pooh Corner, which celebrates the characters and is home to a shop and tearoom. The tearoom serves the likes of homemade sandwiches, cakes, scones and also runs a seasonal specials menu. On the online review site Tripadvisor, one fan of Ashdown Forest said: "The views in this forest are incredible. Recommended Reading Visit the picturesque town of Burford for the perfect day trip Discover the National Trust gem an hour from London 7 of the best nature walks to try in London this spring "We mainly stuck to the Winnie the Pooh themed areas, but the entire region is lush and green." Another visitor said: "Beautiful morning stroll through Ashdown Forest with the family. "Kids were blown away to see Pooh and friends everywhere in the woods."
