Koniks horses set to help another nature reserve

A locally important nature reserve and local wildlife site Wraik Hill is being helped by Konik horses.

In a partnership between Kent Wildlife Trust who manage the reserve and the Wildwood Trust who run another five herds of wild horses throughout Kent will see the horses grazing areas of the reserve to keep the grass short and allow a wide range of grassland species to grow, which in turn will increase the bio-diversity of the area. The horses will also help control the scrub which has, up to now, been cut back by using heavy machinery.

The area is well known for its many warblers and nightingales - This particular species is listed in the Kent Red Data Book as a rare species.

The wild horses are part of a bold plan to re-introduce the wild horse to Britain, the horse imported are the closest living relatives of the extinct Tarpan, the wild forest horse which roamed Britain in Neolithic times.

"This expands the number of sites being managed by Koniks to six which is really exciting" commented Peter Smith Chief Executive of Wildwood Trust "the work the horses are doing across Kent is invaluable they really are helping to breath life into so many rare habitats."

Wild Horses are just one of the huge range of British animals that can be seen at the Wildwood Discovery Park as well, for more information visit the website at www.wildwoodtrust.org or telephone 0871 782 0087.

Wildwood is an ideal day out for all the family where you can come 'nose to nose' with British Wildlife. Wildwood offers its members and visitors a truly inspirational way to learn about the natural history of Britain by actually seeing the wildlife that once lived here, like the wolf, beaver, red squirrel, wild boar and many more.

Wildwood is situated close to Canterbury, just off the A291 between Herne Bay and Canterbury. For more information visit our website at www.wildwoodtrust.org or telephone 0871 782 0081.

WILD HORSES FURTHER INFORMATION:

It is always good to see new generations born to our herd when we consider they where nearly made extinct during the Second World War. Some of the wild horses' ancestors were stolen by Nazi genetic experimenters under the patronage of Reichmarshal Herman Goering. The Nazis where bent on recreating a genetically pure 'Arian' wild horse.

Thankfully the polish scientists who were looking after the wild horse herds where able to protect some of them. After the War the protected herds were allowed to repopulate the national parks of Poland under the soviet occupation. Once soviet occupation was ended, with the fall of the Iron Curtain, conservationists where able to transport the wild horses to national parks across Europe.

Wildwood Trust pioneered the re-introduction of these amazing animals to the UK in 2002. Wildwood brought the first ever of their breed to arrive in southern England and these horses and their offspring have been helping to restore some of the most precious national nature reserves in the UK.

The 'Konik pony' as they are sometimes known originated in Poland and Konik is actually the Polish word for small horse.

They are a highly unusual breed in that they directly descended from the wild European forest horse or 'Tarpan' which was hunted to extinction in Britain in Neolithic times. Tarpan survived in central Europe until the late 1800s when the last of their race were captured in the primeval forest of Bialoweiza, Poland, and transported to zoos. When the last of these died in 1910 the pure race disappeared forever.

Since this time conservation grazing projects throughout Europe have used the Konik horses for wetland grazing projects. The former habitat of Tarpan was marshy woodland where their grazing activities help create ideal living conditions for a host of associated wildlife such as rare geese, spoonbills, bitterns and corncrakes.

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Forest fires robbing animal charity of valuable funds

"Visit Wildwood and support our animals", that's the plea from the Canterbury based Conservation charity. The popular animal park is fully open and unaffected by the nearby forest fires.

Dramatic news reports of the forest fires surrounding the park has put off visitor coming, costing the charity thousands of pounds.

The coming August bank holiday will be the animal charity’s busiest week of the year and this income will help sustain their essential work all year round.

Wildwood wants everyone to know that they are open for business as normal and they need visitors to help their animals.

Peter Smith Chief Executive of Wildwood Trust said:

“I need people to know that we are open for business as usual and the park and animals remain unaffected by the nearby Forest Fires, visitors to Wildwood are essential if we to earn enough money to help look after our animals and fund our wildlife conservation projects”

“Kent Wildlife Trust and the Fire Brigade have done an outstanding job in stopping the fires spreading and Wildwood is now safe and secure.”

Visitors to Wildwood can see a huge range of British wildlife Discovery Park. For more information visit the website at www.wildwoodtrust.org or telephone 0871 782 0087.

Wildwood is an ideal day out for all the family where you can come 'nose to nose' with British Wildlife. Wildwood offers its members and visitors a truly inspirational way to learn about the natural history of Britain by actually seeing the wildlife that once lived here, like the wolf, beaver, red squirrel, wild boar and many more.

Wildwood is situated close to Canterbury, just off the A291 between Herne Bay and Canterbury. For more information visit our website at www.wildwoodtrust.org or telephone 0871 782 0081.

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Wildwood Trust
Herne Common
Herne Bay
Kent
CT6 7LQ

Registered Charity No 1093702

Wildwood Trust is Kent's unique 'Woodland Discovery Park', a visitor attraction with a difference.

Wildwood is not only the best place to bring the family for a day out, but it is also a bold and innovative new charity, backed by the UK 's leading wildlife conservationists. As a new charity Wildwood needs everyone's support in its mission to save our native and once native wildlife from extinction.

Wildwood Trust's vision is to bring back our true 'wildwood', a unique new way of restoring Britain's land to its natural state. This involves releasing large wild herbivores and developing conservation grazing systems to restore natural ecological processes to help Britain team with wildlife again.

The Wildwood 'Woodland Discovery Park' is an ideal day out for all the family where you can come 'nose to nose' with British Wildlife. Wildwood offers its members and visitors a truly inspirational way to learn about the natural history of Britain by actually seeing the wildlife that once lived here.

Set in a sublime 38 acres of Ancient Woodland, Wildwood offers visitors a truly unique experience. Come Nose to Nose with our secretive badgers, experience what it is like to be hunted by a real live pack of wolves, watch a charging wild boar or track down a beaver in his lodge.

Wildwood Trust runs a highly successful programme of Conservation Projects - we are the UK 's leading experts in rescuing and re-establishing colonies of Britain 's most threatened mammal, the water vole. Wildwood Trust has pioneered the use of ancient wild horses to restore nature reserve. Wildwood Trust has been at the forefront of efforts to re-establish the European Beaver back in Britain where they belong. European Beaver have been proven to help manage water ways to bring back a huge range of plants, insects and animals.