Cattle as Conservation grazers

Submitted by julia on Wed, 7th Mar 2012, 4:31pm

At the end of February we spent a productive weekend helping with the management of Hutton Roof Crags, a Cumbria Widlife Trust site. Our task was to open up a ride in the woodland for the benefit of buttlerflies. Over the three days we were working there we enjoyed the company of a small herd of cows which live on the reserve, a mix of Redpoll and Shorthorns. 

You may be interested in reading a couple of related articles from recent copies of Conservation Land Management magazine which provide a bit more detail about the use of extensive grazing as a conservation management technique. One of the articles (and the cows featured in both) is by Bill Grayson, the grazier responsible for the cows at Hutton Roof Crags.

If you wish to get an idea of the type of articles in CLM have a look at this website, and then get in touch if you want to read anything in more detail. 

You are welcome to access our books and journals before or after task on Fridays, or at other times by arrangement. You are welcome to use the area outside the office, and you are able to make a hot drink.