Conservation Project News

From the Forestry Commission:

Welsh Blacks in forest conservation project

A small herd of Welsh Black cattle has been recruited to perform a delicate conservation task in the hills high above Llanidloes in mid-Wales.

Forestry Commission Wales enlisted the help of the Welsh Blacks, who are renowned for their hardiness, as part of a countryside management project in Dolgau Forest, near Staylittle.

Four cows will graze open land where trees were recently felled for timber to help maintain different heights of grass sward, which will allow a variety of growing plants to survive and not be choked by bigger plants or trees.
By managing the scrub and keeping some areas of the forest open, the cattle will create favourable terrain for the rare nightjar, which breeds in upland conifer forests, as well as ideal hunting habitat for owls and other rare wildlife.

The imaginative move by FC Wales local area manager Jim Ralph to use cattle to maintain biodiversity flies in the face of forest management convention, which advocates keeping farm animals out of forests to prevent them eating and trampling young trees. However, by containing the cattle within a 40 hectare area surrounded by a stock-proof fence, it’s hoped the animals will fulfil a vital function within a controlled environment.

The cows will graze part of the 300 ha forest, which is managed by FC Wales on behalf of the Welsh Government, until November as part of a joint project with Montgomery Wildlife Trust and Environment Agency Wales, which has been supporting a wetland management plan for the forest.

The cattle grazing is the last stage of a progressive approach to managing the forest, which contains a mix of wetlands, open space, small rivers and shallow waters offering diverse habitats for wildlife, birds and fauna.
Other work to improve the landscape includes the planting of native broadleaved trees, such as birch and rowan.
A similar experiment using cattle provided by Andrew to manage heather sites in Clocaenog Forest, near Bron Bannog, succeeded in creating a favourable environment for Black Grouse.