The key to sustainable management of these habitats is livestock grazing. Unfortunately, these reserves can be challenging and require the right type of animal to graze them effectively. The Reserves Manager for these sites is Paul and he asked one of our livestock keepers, Jenni from Gower Ponies CIC, to write about her experiences, she writes,
South Gower February reserves update
The battle with gorse has been relentless since The Trust’s acquisition of our South Gower reserves. We have been working to restore the coastal heath of the area, and protect the special plants which our South Gower coast reserves are designated for.
I am amazed at how much the ponies have stomped and bitten their way into the gorse on Overton Cliff since they were introduced there in 2020. It's now their third, and longest stint on the cliff and they have made new paths throughout the enclosure that E.H. Shepherd would have been proud to draw on a Winnie-the-Pooh Hundred Acre Woodsesque map of Overton Cliff. I have completely lost my fear of heights wandering along the Pony Super Highway that runs near the top of the cliff parallel to the coast path. It's been a pleasure to come across the ponies enjoying the lofty heights of the cliff to sunbathe, break fresh ground to graze, and tuck just below the top of the cliff to keep out of the cold north wind.
While it is an adventure to walk where the ponies have made paths it's also fantastic to see that they are doing what I knew they would be able to do. Research shows that ponies eat gorse, especially in the winter months, and that it is a good quality feed for them. In this respect the ponies have exceeded expectations as they have dedicated themselves to eating gorse during the long dry period in the summer too. The way that they eat it has created small islands of gorse with a variety of grass and wildflowers circling each one. This is the vegetation mosaic that I hoped they would create. And in and amongst this mosaic they also leave their dung, which is broken apart by fungi, dung beetles and birds, adding to the increasing biodiversity on Overton Cliff.
The ponies will be moved off Overton Cliff nature reserve before the end of February, allowing it to rest and regenerate. They will be moved across to begin the work of heath restoration on Port Eynon Point this spring.
The habitat changes will be monitored as they break into the dense gorse and open up areas for more floristic diversity.
