| ATV
Polaris
New Ranger on Sculthorpe Moor
A Polaris Ranger 6×6 off-road utility vehicle has proved the ideal solution for Sculthorpe Moor Community Nature
Reserve in Fakenham, Norfolk.
reated and managed by the
Hawk and Owl Trust, there is no
more peaceful place to observe
the rich variety of wildlife in the
woodland, fen and reed bed
habitats across the beautiful
Wensum Valley. Here you can look out for tawny
and barn owls, marsh harriers, kingfishers,
buzzards, bullfinches and marsh tits as well as
voles, stoats, weasels and many more species.
Much of the area is marshy ground, with scrub
and a high water table so it takes a special
vehicle to carry out the wide variety of tasks
demanded by the need to access an area with no
roads. The Trust first saw a Polaris 6×6 model at
Lamma, the agricultural show, and local Polaris
dealers, Linstead Farm and Garden Machinery,
provided a Polaris Ranger 6×6 for testing. The
Ranger went up against several other machines
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48 | Farming Monthly | June 2017
on test.
“We needed a machine that could cope with
our particular terrain, with no roads and a lot of
marsh areas,” says Adrian Blumfield, Executive
Director, “We have a huge number of volunteers,
some more senior in years, who need to get
around the site for planting, building hides,
coppicing and generally looking after the habitat.
In the test the other vehicles very quickly got
stuck. The Polaris was the only one which did
not.”
The Ranger 6×6 has six-wheel Independent
Suspension with up to 9.6” of travel and 12” of
ground clearance, which, coupled with its
powerful 800cc engine, enables it to deliver
exceptional off-road traction and a smooth,
comfortable ride. Another consideration is the
large amount of tools and equipment the Trust
volunteers have to carry and the Ranger offers a
roomy 39 gallon capacity with huge rear storage
boxes. The rear dump box has a 1,250 lb
capacity for larger loads and, most importantly,
the 1 tonne towing strength is more than enough
to manage the draw bar weight of the Trust’s
large trailer.
The Hawk and Owl Trust is a registered charity
and the Polaris Ranger 6×6 has been kindly
anonymously donated. The Trust’s work began
conserving owls and other birds of prey and now
does much more, increasing knowledge and
appreciation of them while creating, managing
and conserving habitats that support associated
species. The Ranger will have a strong role in
Sculthorpe Moor’s research, conservation of the
wildlife reserves, running of education centres
and ongoing projects.
www.farmingmonthly.co.uk