A herd of Exmoor ponies has arrived at Cromwell Bottom Nature Reserve near Brighouse as part of a new nature recovery initiative. The ponies will remain at the reserve over winter, contributing to the restoration of vital grassland habitats.
Calderdale Council declared an ecological emergency in 2021, recognising the challenges facing the borough’s wildlife and natural spaces. In response, the Council has partnered with the National Trust and Natural England on the ‘Reviving Calderdale’s Grasslands’ project, which aims to reintroduce conservation grazing across the borough.
Four Exmoor ponies have been transported to Cromwell Bottom, supported by Natural England’s funding of a dedicated livestock trailer for the project. The ponies will graze the grasslands, maintaining pasture and encouraging biodiversity through natural processes such as seed germination.
Cllr Scott Patient, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Action and Housing, said: “If you’re a regular visitor to the beautiful Cromwell Bottom Nature Reserve, you may just have noticed some new residents at the site, as we’ve welcomed a herd of Exmoor ponies. The introduction of this hardy breed is supporting our work to address the ecological emergency that we face, restoring our important grassland habitats which are habitats for many plants and animals. The way that Exmoor ponies graze makes them brilliant for grassland conservation and their efforts should encourage more wildlife and plant life at the nature reserve. This will support habitats for butterflies, moths, birds, mammals and fungi, whilst also improving soil health and boosting natural carbon storage.”
Exmoor ponies are a hardy native breed with a double winter coat, making them well-suited to the Yorkshire climate. Their ability to thrive on poor grazing conditions makes them effective in natural grassland management, filling the role once occupied by wild herbivores such as red deer and wild horses. Properly managed grasslands also help mitigate flooding by slowing water flow during heavy rain.
Rosie Holdsworth, Countryside and Partnerships Manager for West Yorkshire at the National Trust, said: “We’re thrilled that our conservation grazing ponies are going to graze Cromwell Bottom as this is an exciting new stage of the project. We’ve seen the benefits they’ve brought to grasslands elsewhere in Calderdale including on our National Trust sites and look forward to seeing their habitat restoration efforts take effect at this new site. As a hardy native breed, Exmoors are really well suited to conservation grazing and thrive on Calderdale’s species-rich pastures. Moving the ponies to new sites provides new grazing and enrichment for them and they’re always excited to get out of the trailer and explore a new site.”
Dr Rachel Palfrey, Senior Project Manager at Natural England, said: “Natural England is delighted to support this project enhancing nationally rare grassland habitats in Calderdale. This forms part of our wider Bradford and South Pennines Nature Recovery Project, which aims to improve the quality and quantity of nature across Bradford and Calderdale.”
The Ecological Emergency Action Plan, outlining strategies for addressing habitat loss and climate challenges, can be accessed at https://new.calderdale.gov.uk/environment/countryside-conservation/ecological-emergency-action-plan-short.
For ongoing climate action updates, sign up for the Zero Carbon Calderdale e-newsletter at https://mailchi.mp/calderdale/zerocarbon.
