This autumn has seen some rather special visitors settling in at a number of our nature reserves - only these visitors are of a 4-legged variety, rather than 2!
In partnership with local graziers, we have introduced cattle to graze some of our sites. This conservation grazing has wide-ranging benefits for biodiversity, for example by increasing the diversity and abundance of wildflowers, reducing areas of encroaching scrub, creating new micro-habitats including areas of bare ground or short vegetation, and supporting a diverse and healthy soil biome.
The process of the cattle grazing has three main impacts: the removal of accumulated plant material; the enrichment of the soil through the deposition of dung; and ground disturbance which adds to the diversity of a site’s micro-habitats.
We work closely with the graziers to ensure that a balance is achieved that is appropriate for the management requirements of each site: too few cattle for too short a period of time can result in undergrazing with little impact on species diversity and scrub control; too many cattle for too long can lead to overgrazing, where desirable plant species can be eliminated, coarse grasses can come to dominate and the ground can be damaged through poaching.
There are a number of traditional British cattle breeds that are well suited to conservation grazing, e.g. Highland cattle, Belted Galloways, Red Poll and Luing (pronounced) ‘ling’. Breeds such as these are hardy, with an ability to thrive on rough terrain and un-improved forage. Even the vagaries of the good old Welsh weather doesn’t phase them!
The cattle at our reserves are happy to keep themselves to themselves, but if you do come across them, please observe the signage at the reserve entrances (dogs are not allowed in grazing areas) and give them plenty of space.