Pony Power Event at Dare Valley Country Park
Representatives from a range of organisations including Natural Resources Wales, South and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Services, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Caerphilly County Borough Councils and Adferiad Mental Health and Addiction Support Service, attended a Pony Power demonstration event at Dare Valley Country Park on 15th July.
The event was held in partnership with Coventry University’s Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience, and the Welsh Hill Pony Society, to promote the use of Welsh Mountain ponies as a low carbon sustainable option for landscape management and conservation grazing.
After an introductory talk on how ponies can be utilised to mitigate the environmental and health risks posed by bracken overgrowth, such as wildfires and ticks, attendees watched Jupiter, a trained pony, demonstrate bracken bashing in a field on the site.
Despite the rain, there was positive feedback from attendees, with many interested in using the ponies for local landscape management.
The Pony Power initiative provides green skills opportunities for local people, sustainable solutions for local conservation and a use for these beautiful animals, who are a significant part of our Welsh heritage.
Nicole Jones, Business Development Director, Groundwork Wales
