Dartmoor ponies will be removed from stocking rate calculations in new Environmental Management agreements under measures announced by the government today.
Ministers said the change is intended to ensure farmers do not have to choose between keeping ponies and maintaining sheep or cattle. The government said pony numbers will also be monitored across the moor to ensure they remain stable.
The package implements recommendation 27 of the 2023 Fursdon Review, an independent review of protected site management on Dartmoor. A dedicated pony supplement will also be introduced into farming schemes to remove any financial incentive to reduce pony populations.
The government has asked the Dartmoor Land Use Management Group to develop a whole-moor grazing framework, so that different interests are considered together. It said Dartmoor is one of England’s most important landscapes but that large parts of the moor are in long-term ecological decline.
Ministers said achieving the right balance of grazing is central to supporting nature recovery and the long-term future of farming communities on the moor.
Natural England said Dartmoor’s ponies play a central role in shaping the landscape and supporting nature. The Dartmoor Land Use Management Group said the announcement gives pony keepers reassurance that native pony populations are valued as part of the ecology and culture of Dartmoor.