United Kingdom-Wildlife Trust in the cattle business.

UNITED KINGDOM-

DEVON Wildlife Trust has just taken ownership of a new herd of cattle to help with its conservation work in North Devon as part of the charity’s Working Wetlands project.

The 12 Welsh Black-crosses are a hardy and adaptable breed capable of thriving on the rough Culm Measure pastures which more modern breeds find hard to cope with.

The cattle came from high up on Dartmoor, near Holne, where they have been farmed as a closed herd.

They will soon be put to work helping local landowners look after sites in need of traditional management.

Their main task will be to help encourage rare plants and insects to thrive by reducing scrub encroachment and keep on top of rough grasses. According to DWT they will become an important asset for the charity. Restoring land such as this is important for water quality as well. Cleaner water entering watercourses means less energy and money spent cleaning drinking water.

DWT’s Simon Berry heads the Grazing Links initiative, which is part of the Working Wetlands project.

He said: "This is a significant breakthrough for us. To have our own cattle that we can move around to different sites in most need of management is a big step for us. Before long without grazing, Culm grassland reverts to scrub and easily loses its wildlife value.

"A survey of Culm grassland showed that over half had experienced significant losses to abandonment. We are now in a position to help farmers who need summer grazing and start to reverse these declines."

The cattle are currently being looked after at Mr Berry’s own farm near Dolton and will be available for summer grazing at sites within the project’s three main target areas – Knowstone and Witheridge, Hollow Moor, and Torridge and Tamar headwaters.

Landowners looking for grazing on wildlife-rich Culm grasslands within these areas should contact the Working Wetlands team at the Cookworthy office on 01409 221823 or email sberry@devonwildlifetrust.org.