Land parcels managed under this option:
This supplement aims to encourage the use of appropriate native breeds of livestock (from the approved list and with reference to the guidance) for conservation grazing. Evidence suggests that native livestock breeds may have attributes that are better suited to harsh climatic conditions, to difficult terrain, to grazing semi-natural vegetation and to achieving conservation objectives. This supplement is also aimed at contributing towards the genetic conservation of native breeds at risk, when linked with ES scheme primary objectives.
The following rules apply across the whole area being managed under this option.
This supplement seeks to support the agreement holder in a.) managing the gorse on the airbase lozenges of Greenham and Crookham Commons by grazing Exmoor ponies and b.) breeding and building up the herd on the common. Commoners' livestock may graze alongside the agreement holder's Exmoor ponies but this agreement provides financial support only to the agreement holder’s animals.
This supplement applies to 21ha of gorse identified by a Natural England survey of the airbase lozenges and runways in 2008. The gorse cover is approximately distributed on the lozenges as follows: 12ha on the southwest lozenge, 6ha on the northwest, 2ha on the northeast and 1ha on the southeast. Future changes in number of ponies, extent of gorse etc may result in re-negotiation of the supplement.