Dispossessed

It's happened throughout man's history of managing the land for his own purpose. Wildlife has been marginalised and/or dispossessed. That is the pattern of what is happening here. The blueprint to which the conservation professionals are working is just that: clear away that which does not suit our purpose and get it ready for farm animals.
The small number of stags who've been present on Totley Moor have been frequently looking down on the area at the top of Blacka's moorland but staying at a respectable distance while it's been occupied by cattle. This morning they were closer through early mist and rain but after a while wandered off to settle in bilberry and heather.



An example below of what Sheffield Wildlife Trust are doing. Having decided that they would graze the moor with cattle they looked round for places which they could turn into good grazing; just what any pioneer farmer would do in fact. The area has been cleared of most natural vegetation so that grass can grow through and the cowpat count suggests they've appreciated it.



There's no surprise in this, but among local people not a full realisation. The Sheffield Wildlife Trust manager has frequently talked up the importance of the countryside for food production and shown very little interest in the most significant of the wildlife. It could be that family background and vested interest is behind this failure to see the value of wildlife and wilder land. I've often wondered how many conservation workers come from farming families.