Deer and Cattle Grazing

Further to the recent post about conservation grazing, some observations taken from on high. Much as we would like it otherwise we are always finding ourselves having to show the absurdity of SWT's so-called management of Blacka Moor. It is the declared aim of the wildlife trust to use cattle to 'manage' the heather moorland vegetation on Blacka. The cattle's role is to walk over the heather and bracken eating the vegetation that conservationists deem undesirable and leaving that which they wish to retain. They should also 'trample' the not so nice things. The very first problem with this is that the cattle themselves seem unaware of their instructions. Even woefully ignorant people completely unqualified in conservation matters were aware of this from the start. Note these two pictures taken this morning looking down from the side of Wimble Holme Hill: In one the cattle are where we always said they would be - on grass (specially prepared for them), near gates and footpaths because they like places used by people who may give them some food. In the second picture you can just make out a small group of deer, discounted by SWT as not adequate for managing the vegetation. Notice they are in a large open area well away (some 50 or so yards away) from the nearest path. They are, in their way (in nature's way), managing the vegetation and keeping away from people and paths.

We have always believed that managers should allow nature to look after things as far as possible. Farm animals are not doing the job that the conservationists say they are to do and what is more they are trashing the footpaths. Deer's impact on paths is minimal as they make their own routes and are timid and suspicious of people. But they do influence in an entirely natural way the vegetation in the landscape. It's not quite the same as cattle (even if they were doing what the conservationists want) but it's nature from the bottom up rather than a top down prescribed approach planned by office staff and delivered (if it works) by farm animals.