NEWS
EXMOOR PONY CENTRE NOW OPEN
The Exmoor
After some 7 years of hard work by local
The Centre, which is situated near Winsford Hill in the
Ancient Tree Hunt
charity The Moorland Mousie Trust, the
heart of Exmoor National Park, has been funded by
Did you know that the yew tree at St Dubricius
individual donations, two generous grants from The
Exmoor Pony Centre opened to visitors
churchyard in Porlock is thought to be around 1000
Exmoor Sustainable Development Fund, administered by
years old? That makes it older than many historic
last year and is well worth a visit for
Exmoor National Park Authority and Defra’s Rural
buildings on Exmoor!
anyone interested in a close encounter
Enterprise Scheme.
with these enchanting animals.
Val Sherwin from The Moorland Mousie Trust said: “It has
taken a lot of hard work to get the Centre open and we are
thrilled to have finally got there. Visitors will be able to
meet the rare breed Exmoor Ponies and learn more about
them and their environment.”
“For those who would like a ride, we are able to offer the
chance to meet and handle the ponies and take a ride in
glorious countryside, on the breed that knows the terrain
better than any other.”
There are several ways to enjoy the Centre: for those who
don’t want to go for a ride, the 1
1
/2 hour ‘Taster Session’
enables them to spend some time with an Exmoor Pony
and learn something of their ways. For the riders there is a
range of different rides available in open countryside,
booking is essential for both these activities, telephone
01398 323093.
The Moorland Mousie Trust also runs a very successful
‘adopt a pony’ scheme where people can sponsor one of
As a nation Britain has a resource of mature
the ponies either at the Centre or elsewhere in the county.
broadleaved trees of European-wide importance, due
Many ‘adoptions’ are bought as birthday, christening,
in large part to differences in historical land use
Christmas or anniversary presents and the money raised
patterns. On Exmoor, coppiced oak woodlands, wood
goes towards caring for the pony.
pastures and parklands have been features for
centuries. It is this timelessness associated with trees
For details of special events and open days visit:
that forms such a strong component in people’s
www.exmoorponycentre.org.uk
emotional attachment to their land.
Ancient trees also harbour an extraordinary variety of
Bunging up
wildlife and can be thought of as representing islands
in a sea of farmland. Each tree supports a diverse
ecosystem because of the variety of substrates they
the bogs
offer, such as dead wood, furrowed bark, rot holes,
sap runs and extensive root systems. Species which
exploit these resources include deadwood
invertebrates, bracket fungi, mosses, ferns and
The Exmoor Mire
lungwort lichens (key indicators of unpolluted habitat).
Owls, tree-creepers and woodpeckers are just some of
Restoration Project
the birds that make homes among hollows whilst many
others feast on the rich variety of associated insect life.
Ancient trees are also important roost sites for bats.
More than a quarter of a million pounds is to be spent
restoring the boggy places on Exmoor’s uplands. The
In 1997, the National Park Authority participated in
aim of the Exmoor Mire Restoration Project is to re-wet
the Somerset Veteran Tree Survey in partnership with
drained moorlands and bring wildlife back to bogs, fens
English Nature, Somerset Environmental Records
and upland streams.
Centre, Somerset Wildlife Trust and Somerset County
Over the next 3 years more than 10km of the ditches
Council. The focus was on historic parklands and
will be blocked and the project will spend £256,000 on
ancient woodlands such as Nettlecombe, Pixton,
habitat restoration to improve the hydrology and
Dunster, Horner Woods and the Barle Valley Woods.
ecology of upland peatlands (blanket bogs and valley
In 2003, a survey of Exmoor’s churchyards was carried
mires) on Exmoor.
out and recorded many ancient yew trees.
During the last 5000 years the moorlands of Exmoor
have developed a covering of blanket bog which in
2006 saw an expansion of the search with the launch
places is over 2 metres thick. The UK has 20% of the
of the Exmoor Ancient Tree Hunt. This survey aims to
blanket bog in the world and a duty to look after it. This
find trees outside the areas previously surveyed
blanket bog has been modified by man over time as he
whether they are situated in fields, hedgerows, village
utilised it, particularly for fuel and grazing. Peat cutting,
greens or gardens. To date, a phenomenal 1729 trees
burning and drainage have left a lasting legacy causing
have been recorded across Exmoor!
drying out and degradation. If action is not taken now
the peat will continue to oxidise and disappear from
The overall aim of the work is to promote the
Exmoor’s moorlands.
regeneration of moorland and bog vegetation. The
What you can do
Various blocking methods will be used including peat
repaired ditches will become overgrown by mire plants
Join in the Exmoor Ancient Tree Hunt by contacting us
bunds, wooden dams and heather bales. The blocks
and eventually no longer be visible. In this way the
if you see a large tree which you think might be
will be no higher than 1m to avoid creating deep water
moors will be ‘stitched’ back together, removing the
‘ancient’ (it must have a girth of 3.8 m to qualify!).
pools. Shallow pools are best for the promotion of bog
scars of drainage ditches and the damaging effect
Contact Ali Cox at the National Park Authority office on
moss (Sphagnum) growth. Heather and purple moor
these have had on rivers downstream of the moorlands.
01398 322282. For information on where to find
grass (Molinia) bales will be used to fill the deeper pools
Once the water table begins to stabilise, a wider variety
Exmoor’s ancient trees look at our website :
behind the ditch blocks. This will create a safer
of plants will be able to grow on the moors, particularly
www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk
environment for stock, walkers and horse riders.
in the areas dominated by purple moor grass.
8 Exmoor Visitor 2007
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