Bracken Rolling

Conservation by horse power in the parks and green spaces of London — Shires, Clydesdales and Comtois at work.

For the past two years I have been working on a personal project about bracken rolling and conservation in the parks and green spaces of London, using the gentle giants of horse power: the magnificent Shires, Clydesdales and Comtois.

It is a sustainable and environmentally friendly method of ploughing, harrowing, reseeding, logging, rolling meadows and pasture, bracken rolling, and mowing hay and wild flower meadows. Working with these horses helps restore the ecosystem and biodiversity in the city — low noise disturbance to wildlife, a low carbon footprint and no pollution.

I find it fascinating, calming and therapeutic to be in the company of these beautiful animals, and to witness traditional, ‘old fashioned’ practices carried on within a city. These photographs are not for sale.