A Blue Grey cow on LimestoneCountry. Photograph by
Robert Goodison.
Why was there a need for the project?
Mixed grazing with sheep and upland cattle helped create the wonderful diversity of plant species and other wildlife in the limestone country of the Yorkshire Dales. This has declined in the last 50 years due to a move towards more specialised sheep farming leading to the growth of rank grasses resulting in the loss of species and structural diversity.
What were the project's aims?
The Limestone Country Project aimed to restore this diversity on over 1500 hectares of habitat by encouraging farmers to return to mixed livestock farming.
What did the project do?
Grants were provided to farmers to establish upland cattle herds.
Whole farm conservation plans were produced.
Invasive plants such as thistles and bracken were controlled.
The damaging effects of rabbit grazing was reduced.
Upland cattle grazing were established on Ingleborough and Malham Tarn National Nature Reserves (NNR).
A programme of economic and ecological research and monitoring was undertaken.
A range of demonstrations, publicity and awareness-raising events were held to promote the project to a local, national and international audience.
A project officer was employed to be a single point of advice and support to farmers in the project.
What did the project achieve?
Funded 18 herds of traditional-breed cattle and infrastructure to graze 1850ha of internationally important limestone habitats plus many other parts of the farm (exceeding target of 1500ha).
English Nature purchased over 50 young cattle to establish a small herd to manage in excess of 250ha of the Ingleborough NNR.
Funded the purchase of a small herd of Dexter cattle and a new building to provide winter housing for one of the National Trust’s tenant farmers to graze 6.5ha of Malham Tarn fen.
Purchased two weed-wiping machines which the farmers used to control weeds on over 300ha of land supplemented by contractors who dealt with weeds over a further 677ha.
Funded contractors to control rabbits over 6800ha of land during the project.
What were the conservation benefits?
The proportion of calcareous grassland & limestone pavement that was recovering was higher on land with Project cattle than elsewhere in the Limestone Country area.
The proportion of calcareous grassland & limestone pavement that was declining was lower on land with Project cattle than elsewhere in the Limestone Country area.
The amount of Alkaline fen in favourable condition was maintained and the amount that was recovering increased on land with Project cattle whereas it was assessed as declining elsewhere in the Limestone Country area.
The diversity of plant species that are most typical of Limestone Country habitats (known as indicator species) were higher in calcareous grassland and limestone pavement grazed with cattle rather than sheep.
Substituting sheep with Limestone Country cattle had a positive impact on the farm business and was a profitable enterprise.
As a result of successful lobbying by the Project the new Environmental Stewardship Scheme contains supplementary payments to encourage farmers to use traditional cattle breeds in conservation grazing. This is vital for the long-term sustainability of cattle grazing in the Limestone Country.
Who was involved?
Farmers, EU LIFE fund, Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, English Nature, The National Trust, Rare Breeds Survival Trust, Grazing Animals Project, National Beef Association.
Further information:
