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Habitat Management News

Keeping animals in woodlands

Deer are one source of grazing in woodlands, and domestic stock are another. There are circumstances when it is desirable to keep stock in a woodland rather than fence them out. This can include the use of domestic stock as a management tool to create and maintain structural and species diversity within a wood. The effects that domestic stock can have on woodland habitats and their associated flora and fauna have been reviewed in an Information Note produced by the Forestry Commission. This includes an examination of their feeding preferences, feeding and dunging behaviour and the amount of trampling produced by their hooves.

In the Note, general guidance is given on grazing practices to maintain parkland communities, manipulate the ground flora, improve tree regeneration, increase shrub cover and protect coppice regrowth. Quantitative information on maximum grazing densities of cattle, sheep and horses to achieve specific aims is given for a number of upland and lowland NVC woodland types. In the absence of information on many specific impacts of different domestic breeds, it is recommended that, when introducing grazing, this should start at low intensity, should not encompass all of any sensitive or priority habitats and should be monitored. The impact of wild grazing animals, principally deer and Rabbits, has to be considered alongside that of the domestic stock. The Note also includes a summary of the major practical issues to be considered when grazing woodlands. These include the choice of stock type and breed, animal welfare, disease risk, fencing, public access, effects on field-sports interests and weed control. Information Note 28, Domestic Stock Grazing to Enhance Woodland Biodiversity, can be obtained as for the FC publication above.

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