Cattle and ponies to roam Forest of Dean in grazing project
COWS, ponies and horses could soon be roaming the Forest under new plans.
Forestry Commission chiefs are in discussions to introduce cattle and other animals to graze the Dean in a conservation project.
They want them introduced into particular areas to restore patches of the Dean which have been allowed to grow over into unloved scrubland.
Sheep already roam much of the Forest but their numbers have gone down in recent years. Early talks about introducing cows and horses to specific, enclosed areas have already been held.
Cinderford-based wildlife expert Rob Ward, writing on his blog, said: "Personally I look forward to these proposals being approved as the sheep, even though a nuisance to motorists, did a good job grazing the Forest.
"Since the Foot and Mouth outbreak in 2001, we hardly have any grazing sheep in the forest, so it will be fantastic to see free-grazing mammals like cattle and ponies taking over where they left off."
Peter Kelsall, planning and environment officer at the Forestry Commission in the Dean, is leading the plans.
"We are looking particularly at areas of Forest waste where, over time, their ecological interest is reducing because of less grazing," he said.
"We want to try and address that and find a mechanism by which we can bring these sites back into better condition."
Forest waste is the term given to open spaces within the statutory Forest. The first areas Mr Kelsall wants to try the project on are at Moseley Green, Clearwell Meend and Crabtree Hill.
"At the earliest, we're looking at six to 12 months to have consultations, get fencing put in and start it," he said.
"Areas might be enclosed for 10-15 years, it could be less, to get them back into better ecological condition. The idea is that once the condition has been improved, they would be thrown open again and maybe used by the sheep again."
The areas involved would be fenced, meaning the animals would be unable to stray into roads and villages like the Dean's free-roaming sheep, which have been labelled a danger for wandering streets, fouling villages and bleating all night.
If the plans come to fruition, management of the animals would fall to the Commoners' Association, which historically takes charge of the free-roaming sheep.
Chairman Mick Holder said: "In principle it's a brilliant idea, we would love to see it happen.
"There are areas of the Forest that were grazed by sheep which are now almost inaccessible so it would be fantastic to get that back.
"There are lots of details to work out yet like who would be meeting the costs of this sort of thing but we are for it as an idea."
6 Comments
by bigcatman
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 6:02PM
“Goats are ruminants. They have a four-chambered stomach (rumen, the reticulum, the omasum, and the abomasum) thus they are members of the family, Bovidae. Although you are correct in some ways Kay by saying "While it is true that goats can be very good at clearing scrub, they have a different way of eating, compared to cattle and horses. Cattle are also good at breaking up land, due to their weight. This allows seeds to germinate. This was explained to me by someone who understands scrub clearance and land management" True by saying that they are good at clearing scrub, they are as you and everyone knows, good at eating anything that comes their way. Goats are browsing animals, not grazers like cattle and sheep. In general, feral and farm goats prefer to browse on shrubbery and weeds, a bit like deer would browse and strip. Cattle are indeed good at breaking up gound due to size and the nature of the animals itself. However, cattle are not the best or even the better of species for seed dispersal, that is best left for birds, bats and weather. A weed by definition is a plant that you or I do not like or want or causes undue harm. To rid weeds and shrubs is not an easy thing to do and as with the many species and sub-species of flora such as the dreaded Japanese Knotweed, Couch Grass or the Rhododendron, it can take many years, many years. There is no one measure to beat shrubs and weeds, it is a collective measure that can be very time and money consuming, depending on your course of action.”
by Kay_Powell
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 5:16PM
“While it is true that goats can be very good at clearing scrub, they have a different way of eating, compared to cattle and horses. Cattle are also good at breaking up land, due to their weight. This allows seeds to germinate. This was explained to me by someone who understands scrub clearance and land management.
I hope that Gloucester Cattle or other rare breed cattle will be used, as they can cope with tough vegetation. They've done a good job so far of munching their way through tough reeds and suchlike on Alney island, which would totally scrub over if it weren't for conservation grazing by the Gloucester Cattle.”
by Douglasknows
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 10:44AM
“Goats are the best animal for clearing scrubland without causing hardly any damamge to the land.”
by PengiPete
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 10:16AM
“The Cattle Nad Pony is an ancient breed.
They are mentioned in A Midsummer NIght's Dream as being feard due to the horrendous noise they make when walking through long, dry grass in summer. In the 11th century, they were known as the Umaguli Horse and cured Umaguli scrotums were often used as tents by the nomadic Mademup tribe.
Cattle Nad Ponies were all but wiped out in the late 20th century because their rather slow gait made them easy prey for the vast prides of giant black kittens that roam the Forest of Dean when the pubs are closing.”
by Barry_Pong
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 9:48AM
“TiG; can't even spell 'and' properly....outstanding, really outstanding.”
by L_escalier
Wednesday, February 08 2012, 9:32AM
“Are we allowed to say 'nad'? ;-)”