Stanmer Park’s heavy horses will take a break from their work on Saturday (23 November) to meet their fans!
Three special ‘Meet the Horses’ sessions will start from the area in front of Stanmer House, leaving at 11.30am, 1pm and 2.30pm. A free guided walk will take groups into the woodland at Stanmer to see the horses at work.
Getting up close
Visitors will have a chance to get up close to the horses, and their owners Dan and Jess Brown, and find out about their work clearing sycamore and ash trees from Stanmer Woods.
Horses have traditionally been used to move logs from woodland to avoid using heavy machinery and minimise damage to the other trees and the forest floor.
Visitors can also find out all about the council’s Woodland Management Plan for Stanmer and volunteering opportunities.
Popular with visitors
Environment councillor Anne Pissaridou said: “We are delighted to welcome these magnificent heavy horses to Stanmer Park to help us to manage the woodland in a sympathetic and traditional way.
“I’m sure the ‘Meet the Horse’ sessions will be extremely popular with visitors – I can’t wait to go along with my granddaughter!.”
Take the bus!
The 78 bus to Stanmer, which operates at weekends, is a great way to get to the event, especially as two children can go free when travelling with an adult!
The Stanmer Woodland Management Plan was approved by the Forestry Commission following citywide consultation earlier this year.
The plan aims to:
- maintain and preserve open access
- build resilience against Ash Dieback and other diseases and ensure existing woodland cover is maintained
- increase biodiversity, provide better habitats and protect rare flora and fauna
- produce timber products including wood fuel and fencing.
The seasonal work is being carried out in the area to the south of the walled garden and will take around three weeks.
While works are in progress, some paths will be closed for public safety. These areas will be clearly marked.
