Hastings Country Park using heavy horses for traditional landscape management

Heavy horses are to be used to cut back bracken at Warren Glen in Fairlight in order to improve the diversity of local wildlife.
Heavy Horses at Fairlight SUS-190306-104029001Heavy Horses at Fairlight SUS-190306-104029001
Heavy Horses at Fairlight SUS-190306-104029001

The traditional method of landscape management involves working horses pulling heavy rollers to “bruise” the bracken.

Bruising bracken is an effective, low impact method of reducing the vigour and growth of bracken in hard-to-reach areas and avoids the use of chemicals.

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Hastings Borough Council has invited Frankie Woodgate and her heavy horses to return to Hastings Country Park in June.

Everyone is welcome to come along and meet Frankie and her horses at an open day on Friday June 14 from 11 am to 1pm in Warren Glen, when you can find out more about traditional countryside management.

People can find Frankie and her horses by walking along the access for all routes at the back of the Fairlight Coastguard’s Cottages and walk down into Warren Glen.

Cllr Colin Fitzgerald said: “Using heavy horses and a roller is a traditional way of reducing the amount of bracken in Warren Glen.

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“It is also the most sustainable and practical as the horses can reach areas of the glen inaccessible to machinery.”

“Over the years bracken has smothered the native wildflower communities of the glen.

“Reducing the cover of bracken allows the coastal wildflowers and invertebrates to flourish again, increasing the biodiversity of this important habitat.”

This is the fifth year the horses have visited.

See also: {https://www.hastingsobserver.co.uk/news/people/hastings-italian-restaurant-voted-best-in-sussex-as-it-scoops-major-award-for-second-year-running-1-8939449