About George Monbiot Article (There is an invader who has done many swathes in Britain in deserts – and these dead zones spread, 9 June), Yes, Molinia (Purple moor-grass) is a serious plague of many acidic land in the UK. In 1999, while living in the East Sussex, I started a preservation initiative using the exture ponies in the grasses in the South, Brachypodium (Tor grass), that in return then I estimate affecting over 200 hectares. This grass is very small for farmers and also seriously mitients with biodiversity.
In 2004, we began more involved with many acid grasses above, acid heath and gray pastures in the ashdown forest, involving four different land owners – Sussex Wildlife Trust, Sussex Police Authority, the Ministry of Defense and Conservator of Ashdown. Here, pony grazing is primarily to prevent widespread spread of Molinia. The oddest outcome is the 200 hectare of modifications, which have not been trapped within life living. It has changed from the more thick Molinia to open SANTS in many years of grazing 32 lives of the year. It also reduces the earlier many fires caused by the Army Pyrotechnics.
I also consider the widespread spread of two sorts of grass for nitrogen pollution, which aided by a small extent of less bearing. I retired in 2017, then running 85 ponies. Today in East Sussex, there is in the region 150 exmorors carrying my start in a quarter in a century ago.
Mony Larkin
St Dogmaels, Pembrolekeshire
That a farmer in the mountain for half a century, I share George Monbiot’s concerns about growing rule in Molinia in some regions. However a century ago, Robert WallaceThe Professor of Agriculture and Embomacy in the country of Edinburgh University, explained in his book, Heather and Moor burning for grouse and sheep, That control over this plant can be assured by high honor at time to rotate winter burn and active shepherd.
Ancient skills ensure that molinia growth Checked to handle the flock that floats the shoots in early spring. After animals transferred to their in-bye footwear sites, the moor emerges, the crops of the plants. To avoid neglected moors to go into existence deserts in the filled molinia and marked bracken, we may need to provide more attention to our ancestors.
Aidan Harrison
Avits, Northumberland
Far from crowding out other plants and wildlife, purple moor-grass is in fact a key indicator of an increasingly rare habitat – Known in Devon as culm grassland and in wales as rare plants like devil’s-bit scabious and butterflies such as marsh fritillary, which depends on it for food and reproduction. In our former north-west farm, we currently handle the land exactly to protect this threatened ecosystem.
George Monbiot is right to focus on that land is not easy, because of tassofy tassooly in the plant, but he suggested that he will take a leaf with no last film about Culm, Don’t think about tussocks (here’s wildlife). He may know something useful.
Adam
Pancrasweek, Devon
Re Molinia Grash Baby Life from Biodiversity, the solution hides plain view: The last semi-wild pony population in England – the iconic dartmoor hill ponies. StudiesTests and surveys published by famous science journals ATTESTING That dartmoor semi-wild ponies do not only eat Molinia, but also fully adapted to the millennia of roaming dartmoor to develop highest and largest parts.
George Monbiot and the campaigner Tony Whiteheade is not worthwhile to lose hope for Dartmoor Biodiversity. However, they must focus on their efforts to seek defra to ensure its policies and support the number of Dartmoor Hill Ponies, and Biodiversity can be brangingoning here once more.
Charlotte Faulkner
Dartmoor Hill Pony Association
