About Our Conservation Work

The purpose of the Trust is to assist with the conservation of native flora and fauna by undertaking large-scale extensive grazing of selected chalk grassland on the South Downs and lowland heath on Ashdown Forest using hardy Exmoor ponies.

Substantial parts of these two areas are now in ‘unfavourable condition’ as defined by the government’s countryside advisor, Natural England. The Trust works in close collaboration with landowners, farmers and government agencies, assisting with the delivery of both SSSI (Sites of Special Scientific Interest) through government financed agri-environment grant schemes.

As from 2005, the Trust is the independent successor to the Sussex Downs Conservation Board's Exmoor Pony Grazing Project, set up to assist with the conservation of important Sussex wildlife habitats: lowland calcareous grasslands (the eastern South Downs) and lowland heath (Ashdown Forest). Both habitats are threatened by invasive species to the detriment of botanically rich plant life and associated fauna due to lack of grazing. The ponies, now numbering 54, fill this gap and thrive on the nutrient-poor herbage which is often unpalatable for modern domesticated breeds of cattle and sheep.

Our activity is consistent with several UK Habitat Biodiversity Action Plans (BAPs) for the above habitats. We are conservation-oriented and are NOT an animal charity. However Exmoor ponies are an endangered breed themselves so there is an important, if secondary value, to our activity.

An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

The areas grazed by the ponies are largely accesble or visible to visitors to the South Downs and Ashdown Forest. The South Downs have more visitors than any other Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty – AONB (and soon to become the South Downs National Park). Besides the wildlife conservation gains, the effects of grazing results in visible improvement to the landscape of both the South Downs and Ashdown Forest to the benefit of residents and visitors, major factors in the local tourism industry. The Trust has the support of Natural England, the National Trust Sussex Wildlife Trust, Defence Estates as well as other local conservation groups and landowners.