The post you are reporting:
I had a phone call a week or so ago about the danger that the Konik ponies and the Dexter cattle, on the Heights, present to youngsters who spook them.
I wrote to WCCP asking if they could provide me with a reply to give the person who contacted me. My own view (is it wise for me to give my own view ?) is that they are a valuable asset to the well-being of the Heights.
I met with Melanie Wrigley of the WCCP on Tuesday afternoon and we had a good walkabout and chat. I'll reproduce her written reply below - it is quite long, but makes a lot of sense.
"Dear Councillor Walkden
Thank you for contacting the WCCP about the local residents concern over the Konik ponies and Dexter cattle on the Western Heights, being 'spooked' by the children and the possibility of the animals running into other people as a result. We do appreciate people's concerns.
Unusually, we have to graze two adjacent fields, at the same time, at Clarendon and Maxton field at the moment. Most years we usually only graze one of these fields at a time. However, this year there has been exceptional circumstances with excessive rain, which has lead to a mass of vegetation growth, and exacerbated by the late arrival of the Konik ponies to the Western Heights from South Foreland Valley (at St. Margaret's) because of them having foals; this has lead to a shorter grazing period. And we cannot graze these fields in winter.
Therefore, we have Konik ponies in Maxton and Clarendon fields until roughly the end of November, and Dexter cattle in Clarendon field for about 2 months, to meet the criteria of our Stewardship agreement.
Both the Konik ponies and the Dexter cattle will be moving off these fields and to other sites for the winter. The Konik ponies have been on a site were they are used to people. The Dexters are cows and calves without horns.
The WCCP will continue to clear scrub to widen out along the pathways in some places where there are potential bottlenecks. The plan is to clear far more scrub when the Heritage Lottery Funding becomes available from next winter, to help open up the whole site.
It is the lack of grazing that has led the grassland to grow bushes and trees (to scrub up). If the site isn't grazed it will become, for example, like the thicket that has developed on Plum Pudding hill opposite the Western Heights, where access is now extremely limited by thorny scrub as a result.
The children will be back to school this week. So hopefully it will reduce the probability of this behaviour happening.
However, the WCCP can offer to do the following to help improve the situation:
1. Continue an education programme, including going into local schools, to talk to the children and staff about the need for calm behaviour near the grazing animals. And why having the grazing animals on site is so important for the landscape, access, historic landscape and wildlife. There was some mention that eastern European children were seen throwing stones at the cattle. So we could liaise with the Councils Immigrants Community Officer.
2. Also, clear scrub back at pinch points, and widen areas were people and animals may meet on paths. We ideally also need more local residents volunteers to come to help with the practical work and checking the animals if possible?
3. Ask the local people to ask children not to chase or 'spook' the livestock, and if they see such antisocial behaviour on site, that local residents be encouraged to call the Police on telephone number 101 to report such behaviour and to get the dog warden out on site if appropriate.
4. The WCCP could speak directly to the dog warden and see if he can visit Maxton and Clarendon more frequently over the coming weeks if possible.
5. Ask if Community Payback Team(s) could come out and clear scrub at Maxton.
6. We have informed our volunteer lookers and wardens about the situation.
Also, I can meet you on site to discuss if that would be helpful? I'll be available next Monday after 9.30 am; Tuesday from 2pm onwards or Wednesday morning or about 4pm Wednesday.
I hope that this has given you the appropriate information to respond to the resident that rang you and allay his fears.
WCCP will continue to monitor the situation.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely
Mrs Melanie Wrigley
White Cliffs Countryside Partnership
Office telephone number: 01304 241806"
Horses and cattle have been grazing on the Heights for hundreds, probably thousands of years, so it is nothing new, but what a beautiful sight to behold and so valuable to the Heights too.
Common-sense (not so common nowadays though), would suggest that parents and perhaps grandparents would talk to their children/grandchildren about this wonderful activity and tell them to be sensible up there and definitely NOT spook the animals.
Roger