Conservation grazing
Many of our most valuable wildlife habitats depend on grazing livestock, and we are proud of the role our livestock are playing in several conservation schemes.
Our sheep are kept for part of the year on species-rich calcareous grassland under a Countryside Stewardship scheme, and we follow a grazing regime which encourages flowering grass and wildflower species.
Our store cattle spend their spring and summer months grazing on floodplain grazing marsh, and they help to create a varied sward structure which benefits insects and other wildlife.
We are also working with the Environment Bank to deliver conservation grazing on a significant grassland restoration and creation project, using NoFence GPS collars to tailor the grazing regime around their conservation objectives. Our cattle play an important role as ‘eco-engineers’, helping to prevent particular grassland species or scrub from dominating the ecosystem, and improving species diversity.
Livestock in the arable rotation
There is increasing recognition of the value that livestock can bring to the arable rotation. Arable farmers are being encouraged to introduce cover cropping and herbal leys, which provides forage for livestock as well as improving soil health and nutrient cycles. We have been grazing sheep behind electric fencing on cover crop for the past four seasons, and we have seen how such a system can deliver multiple win-wins for both the arable farmer and the grazier.
Consultancy
Charlie has 14 years’ experience working in the land and environment sectors, with a particular focus on natural capital approaches to land management. He works as both an independent rural adviser and as an Associate with Cumulus Consultants Ltd, a specialist consultancy providing strategic, policy, technical, economic and operational advice to government bodies, non-governmental organisations, businesses, landowners and land managers in the UK and abroad.