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Naturalistic grazing and re-wilding

Naturalistic grazing and re-wilding. How do we do conservation?. Nature conservation often ‘gardening’ Inevitable with small sites Cultural landscapes Hostile socio-political environment Specific habitat/species Driven by target-focused conservation approach Many strengths to this.

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Naturalistic grazing and re-wilding

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  1. Naturalistic grazing and re-wilding

  2. How do we do conservation? • Nature conservation often ‘gardening’ • Inevitable with small sites • Cultural landscapes • Hostile socio-political environment • Specific habitat/species • Driven by target-focused conservation approach • Many strengths to this

  3. Agencies have looked at re-wilding • Total freedom not possible, but the limits can be stretched • Science-base must be sound

  4. The past as a template – pre-Neolithic landscape? • The traditional view – closed forest • Vera’s view • ‘Half-open park-like landscape’ • Driven by large herbivores • Research by CEH, Paul Buckland • ENRR 648 • www.english-nature.org.uk

  5. Vera’s arguments considered • Pollen analysis over-emphasised trees • Regular abundance of light-demanding trees • Failure of oak to thrive in non-intervention reserves • Ignored of role of large grazers (Serengeti model) • Misinterpretation of medieval references to forest • Comparison with US ‘old-growth’stands • Abundance of ‘open’ species in current landscapes • Plus subsequent publications/debate

  6. Hypothesis, not Fact • Half open landscape – no strong evidence • Herbivores were main driver of change – assumption • Herbivores always give half-open landscape - wrong

  7. Naturalistic grazing regimes • Re-wilding • Landscape scale, mosaics of habitats • Natural(-istic) processes such as grazing • Land abandonment under CAP reform • Forestry renaissance • Rewilding initiatives

  8. Conservation issues? • Are we prepared to allow change? • Re-wilding is unpredictable • Wood may go to heath, but heath may go to woodland quicker! • Re-wilding may mean losses of abundance of species, even extinctions Keep some targets…?

  9. Regulation issues • Welfare legislation exists • Feral animals are not wild • Deer within fenced areas may fall into the category of ‘kept’ animals. • Disease issues Legal constraints

  10. Public support issues • Much likely land has public access • Footpaths • Right to roam • Domestic stock kill people • Extra problems of dogs • Stallions and horse riders • Jurassic Park planning • Dealing with escapes

  11. Ways forward • Need large areas • Likely to be staged process • Bring stakeholders on board • Public • Regulators • Conservationists • Opportunity to stop at each stage • Likely to be more very extensive farming than fully wild • Not recreation of past, but new cultural landscape

  12. Thank you!

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