In the current economic climate is it possible to cut back on local authority spending whilst still improving wildlife? Conservation does not need to equate to extra funding. In fact conservation can actually save money for councils. Read below to learn how sheep are saving Brighton & Hove City Council money whilst improving the natural environment.
For a number of years, Brighton & Hove City Council has been taking an innovative approach to conservation by using sheep to improve open spaces for both wildlife and people. Grazing is a more favourable method than mowing as the grass is removed over several weeks allowing insects to move away and ensuring structures like ant hills are not damaged. Sheep also find some plants tastier than others, so grazing removes different plants at different rates, unlike mowing where all vegetation is removed at once. Mowing is also considerably more expensive and problematic on sites where access and topography present challenges. Furthermore grazing also ensures aggressive weeds such as nettles and brambles don’t take over and restrict recreational use of open spaces.
Brighton & Hove’s ancient chalk downland sites are of high ecological importance and their location on the edge of the city means that regular checks on the sheep are possible. Since the project started in 2007, the Council has employed volunteers known as lookerers who commit to undertaking regular checks on the sheep. The animals are vulnerable to stressful encounters and attacks from dogs and foxes. Sites close to human settlements are also exposed to other risks such as litter and anti-social behaviour.
Downland, or chalk grassland, has developed over many centuries of sheep grazing on the chalk hills of southern England, particularly around Brighton & Hove. The corn was grown in the valleys on the more fertile soils and the sheep grazed on the hills where the soils were thinner and less fertile.
The sheep grazed during the day and were brought down each evening from the hills by the shepherd. Their dung fertilized the field allowing it to be cropped again the following year. In this way, the fertility of the hill’s soil was constantly low and by the continual transfer of sheep, the Downs became rich in a very special diversity of wildflowers and butterflies.
However, with the introduction of industrialised agriculture and artificial fertilisers, the Downs were no longer required for sheep grazing. This has seen 97% of the flower-rich downland grassland disappear in the last century. The remaining 3% is under threat from spreading scrub.
In order to reverse this decline the council has reintroduced grazing as part of an attempt to expand and conserve chalk grassland in and around the city.
Sheep lookerers come from a variety of backgrounds. Two of GroundSure’s staff members are involved in the project as volunteers and the photos below were taken during their sheep checking rota.
Whilst many people support this initiative there is inevitably some resistance to the scheme through lack of understanding of the objectives. Dogs must be kept on leads which upset some dog walkers and there has been some vandalism of fences intended to secure the sheep. Through community engagement and education on the benefits of grazing it is hoped that the sheep will continue to keep the vegetation under control whilst also saving tax payers money.
A map where the sheep are currently grazing can be found here: http://ww3.brighton-hove.gov.uk/index.cfm?request=c1246294&node=20571
