Conservation Grazing
The Who, What, When, Where and Why of Conservation Grazing
Farming in the AONB is dictated by the moist and mild maritime climate of the area. It suits pasture-fed beef and sheep production, with some dairy farming as well.
The mild climate, influenced by the interaction of the sea with the land around Morecambe Bay has great bearing on the life and times of farmers. A long growing season that starts earlier than further inland and lingers on into winter has a great influence. It means that everything grows more densely and profusely than elsewhere in the North West. It also means that plants we do want to conserve – often national rarities, but locally quite common - have to compete even more with the plants we would like to see less of.
On the thinner limestone soils, the natural herb-rich grassland meadows are an important feature of the area. These have declined either through more intensive management of grassland and the introduction of silage systems or the invasion by scrub woodland on to the more marginal lands. The herb rich grasses are easily outstripped by common varieties if left alone to manage themselves. This means the character of these important pastures changes, the flowers die out to be replaced by rank grasses and then scrub, gorse, bracken and thistle move in. These invaders become dominant, so removing the last vestige of the special vegetation that has brought with it the very diverse wildlife fauna the AONB is proud to boast about.
Conservationists are often required to
identify what they want to “save” through some ongoing
conservation effort. We are the same
here, we know what is
needed to sustain both
botanical and wildlife
interest but sometimes we
don’t know the best way of achieving
this. One way, which almost
everyone accepts as effective, is the
use of grazing animals. Where
animals graze a pasture, removing
the need for large-scale management
work (cutting and mowing, raking
and bonfiring) we term the practice“
conservation grazing”. It is widely
accepted that this is becoming
harder, due to the changes the
farming world is going through.
(Even intensive large-scale livestock
rearing offers few profits for
hard-pressed farmers.)
In order to help preserve the practice of conservation grazing we need to spread the word about the multiple benefits it brings. The beasts manage both vegetation growth and plant species variety without the need to undertake ruthless scrub clearing using chainsaws and axes. The variety of plants ensure the animals have a better diet than those raised exclusively on silage and ryegrass.
Whilst it seems conservation
grazing is a very modern practice,
in truth it is only the name that is
modern – the extensive type of
grazing the term describes is in
fact (very) ancient. Pastoral peoples
the world over have practised a
host of different conservation
grazing schemes down the ages.
The 21st century experience just
has its own flavour to add to an
already rich history.
Through the use of a conservation grazing system it is hoped that many of the meadows in the AONB can be restored to their former glory. Such a system involves the reintroduction of traditional grazing and hay cutting, avoiding the input of chemicals or fertilisers. Traditional breeds of animals can be used to graze these meadows and to prevent scrub invading the pasture. Such limestone pasture is not confined to the AONB but is found in many locations around Morecambe Bay.
- It is widely accepted that the meat from animals produced from these conservation pastures has a special quality – organic food at its best. Such food produced from Morecambe Bay cattle is a truly local product with the advantage of superb taste and benefits to animal welfare.
meat from animals produced from these conservation pastures has a special quality – organic food at its best
