Exmoor Ponies Leading the Way in Low-Carbon Land Management

At Wild Solutions, we specialise in practical, science-led land management that puts nature first. One of our most effective – and popular – services is our low-carbon grazing programme using Exmoor ponies, helping landowners across the Peak District manage their grasslands in a way that supports biodiversity, soil health, and nature recovery.

Working in partnership with Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, our team supports the Wild Peak Network – a landscape-scale initiative helping everyone from homeowners to large estates take meaningful action for nature. A key request from landowners in the network was simple: they wanted to use grazing animals instead of carbon-heavy machinery. That demand led directly to the creation of our Wild Peak Grazing service.

Nature-Friendly Management With Real Impact

Our Exmoor ponies aren’t just charming—they’re powerful conservation tools. Since launching in 2024, they’ve been working across the region to graze grasslands that would otherwise be lost to scrub or bramble. This kind of grazing is about far more than just reducing biomass—it’s about restoring the natural processes that support wildlife.

To date, our ponies have:

  • Grazed 7 different sites, covering over 15 hectares

  • Eaten back dominant grasses and invasive species, helping wildflowers thrive

  • Improved soil health through natural fertilisation

  • Created micro-habitats that benefit birds, invertebrates, and fungi

  • Helped reconnect fragmented habitats across the Wild Peak landscape

They’ve also become ambassadors for rewilding, featured by both BBC and ITV in segments about the power of conservation grazing.                                                                                                                                                                      

A Complete Service, Delivered by Experts

We understand that not every landowner has the time, expertise, or infrastructure to manage livestock. That’s where we come in. Wild Solutions offers a turnkey grazing service that takes care of everything:

  • Site assessment to determine if your land is suitable for grazing

  • Grazing plan tailored to your conservation and management goals

  • Animal welfare checks handled by our trained volunteer livestock checkers

  • On-site management by experienced staff with ecological and practical skills

Our approach is flexible. Whether you’re managing a few acres or a large reserve, we can build a plan that fits your site and your objectives. And because we’re rooted in both rewilding science and hands-on delivery, we offer a service that’s both deeply informed and practical to implement.

Why Work With Wild Solutions?

  • Low-carbon land management that replaces fossil-fuel machinery

  • Flexible service packages to suit different landowners and sites

  • Fully supported livestock care – no additional burden for you

  • Clear ecological outcomes to support nature recovery goals

  • A trusted partner backed by over 60 years of experience and owned by  Derbyshire Wildlife Trust

 

If you’re a landowner and you’re looking for a more sustainable way to manage grassland—one that benefits both nature and your landscape—we’d love to hear from you.

Let our Wild Delivery team and our Exmoor ponies help you bring natural processes back to your land.

Contact us 👉 here

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