Conservation - Frequently Asked Questions

Why are you fencing off the Forest?

Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust are creating conservation grazing blocks as part of the ERDF Wild Towns Project. The aim of the project is to enhance greenspaces for within Cinderford and six other Gloucestershire towns. Several important species, reliant upon open areas have declined due to the changing management practices over time, when historically there would have been more grazing animals and traditional coppice practices to maintain structural diversity of the vegetation.

If left unchecked, the subsequent vegetation re-growth will try to reach its climax vegetation community and will eventually become woodland. In order to maintain the open structure, traditional, hardy animal breeds will be used for conservation grazing on the sites. These breeds have been produced to thrive on rough, native vegetation that wouldn’t be palatable to more modern commercially farmed . Native breeds of livestock will browse the emerging scrub, keeping it supressed and thus maintaining open habitat and structural diversity. Albeit in low stocking densities, the livestock will also create bare areas of ground which provide important habitat for species such as woodlark and adders.

With modern day legislation, it is important that animal welfare is top of the agenda. With this in mind, the only feasible way of managing the different types of livestock required to maintain the open habitat is through carefully planned livestock fencing, suitable for all livestock types. The fencing is designed to keep livestock within the grazing compartments but to maintain the open feel to the landscape.

Will the public still have access to the site?

Yes. The design of the fencing is aimed to make people feel part of the open habitat landscape. Pedestrian access points will be sited around the fence line, so that people are not impeded from accessing the landscape from multiple locations. When stock isn’t grazing the site, the gates will be left open to allow free movement of people, wildlife.

At Bilson Green sewage works, there is no public access as it is privately owned.

What about cycling, walking, pony trekking through the site?

The fencing at Awre’s Glow will be formed of two blocks either side of the forest roads so that people walking, riding or cycling will not be impeded by the fencing

When will the fencing be installed?

The fencing will be installed through the winter months, being completed by the end of March 2020.

Why can’t you fit grids so that there are no obstructions?

The introduction of conservation grazing within the Forest of Dean is a relatively new concept for all of the partners involved. It is imperative that all systems put in place are as secure as they can be whilst we learn about the livestock and how they behave on the sites. In the first instance, having secure gates gives us peace of mind regarding the security and welfare of the livestock whilst they get used to their new environment. As we learn animal behaviour in this area of the forest, we can start experimenting with different systems and processes within a controlled environment and monitor how the livestock react. It is hoped that we will eventually be able to introduce items like cattle grids, and potentially invisible electric fencing systems which will give more flexibility and reduce maintenance costs of fencing. The implementation of these alternative features would only be considered if deemed appropriate to animal and public welfare and if funding can be sourced.

What about the visual impact?

We understand peoples concern with regards to the visual impact the installation of fencing may have in what is otherwise an open landscape, and every care has been taken to minimise this. The compartments will have access points and gates will be left open while there is no livestock within the compartments.

What about the free movement of wildlife?

The fence line will be monitored both prior and following its installation. We will identify where there are wildlife tracks/runs which dissect the fence line and look to install deer jumps and gaps in the fence line that would allow wildlife to pass but prevent cattle leaving the compartments. We are using standard stock netting which won’t impede most wildlife. This will also be fitted with a narrow-gauge mesh along the top of it which will allow deer to jump it safely. This specification is one that we have had success within other areas of the forest.

What about the danger to wildlife?

The most risk for wildlife relating to stock fencing are the dangers associated with large mammals being trapped and caught in the wire. Some instances of jumping deer being caught in the barbed wire strands at the top of the fence have resulted in us modifying the design and taking appropriate measure to mitigate for this. The design of the fence line has been approved by all stakeholders and has been modified to have only one strand of barbed wire at the top, which is ‘pig ringed’ to the top of the stock netting. The barbed wire is necessary to deter cattle and ponies from leaning on the fence line and causing it to sag, thus reducing its effectiveness. ‘Pig ringing’ the barbed wire to the stock netting, avoids deer being able to tourniquet their legs in the wire, if they fail to fully jump the fence line, but also ensures an effective stock proof fence.

In order to maintain the height of the fence line, one strand of barbed wire is located at the bottom of the stock netting. This will deter wild boar from trying to squeeze underneath but allow access of small mammals.

What about the public’s safety around dangerous stock?

We are aware that incidences can and do happen between livestock and the general public and take care to put processes in place to mitigate against such occurrences so far as is reasonably possible. Before animals go on to a site, we conduct a site risk assessment specific to the grazing animals. If a risk is flagged as being too high, we will either take action to manage the risk or make a decision not to proceed with the grazing in that instance. We also produce emergency action plans, which detail the processes should an incident on the site happen so that all relevant parties are prepared and informed. Whilst we want the public to continue to visit and enjoy the sites when grazing animals our present, we need to manage the risk accordingly. At the offset we will put up signage at all access points on to the site to notify people that grazing animals are present, and to inform them of the do’s and don’ts whilst they are there. This includes discouraging feeding, which is often the main issue surrounding problems between livestock and people.

It is important to make the public aware that the animals are not pets, but that they are semi-domesticated grazing animals which are suited to the and grazing that they are occupying.

The stocking densities of livestock on the sites will be quite low and in most circumstance the livestock will move away from the public areas if disturbed. We will not be keeping high risk animals on the site such as cows with calves, bulls or stallions.

How long will the fence line be in place for and its ongoing maintenance?

The fencing will be in place for a minimum of seven years. This is in line with the agreement between Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, Forestry England (Awre’s Glow), Forest of Dean District Council (Church Bank, Cinderford) and Severn Trent Water (Bilson Green). A management plan will also be written with these organisations to ensure that appropriate management in is place following on from the project.

Why can’t a different, less invasive type of fencing be used?

The fencing needs to be appropriate for securing livestock types which include cattle with the potential grazing of ponies and at a later date. The three livestock types all graze/browse differently and encourage a diversity of vegetation type and structure. In order to secure the livestock, we have had to adopt a design which is appropriate for all. The eventual use of sheep to graze the sites is the determining factor in having to install stock netting which is more visually obvious.

It is important that a proven method of stock control has been adopted whilst we condition the livestock to the sites. Other options such as invisible fencing have been explored but we have found that they still require an hard external perimeter fence whilst the livestock become ‘trained’ to the invisible boundaries. The livestock would be required to wear collars which deliver an electric shock when they wander close to the buried boundary wire, and this in itself poses animal welfare concerns.

On a traditional farmstead, if animals do escape the enclosure they predominantly end up in an adjacent closure where recapture is relatively straight forward. In the Forest environment, we need to avoid the potential for them to escape into the wider woodland where re-capture would be much more difficult and potentially dangerous.

How’s the fencing being funded and what is the cost?

The fencing is being funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) along with our many funding partners. The ERDF Wild Towns Project is made possible through match funding. Various councils and organisations have donated money for the creation of certain pieces of work ranging from constructed , to bridges and paths. This money has then been matched through the European Regional Development Fund which is allowing Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust to carry out biodiversity improvements in the greenspaces around seven Gloucestershire towns.

How will you ensure that there are no impacts on wildlife during the construction of the fencing?

Risk assessments and method statements are written prior to any potentially invasive management taking place on the site. The method statements provide a code of practice for the project manager to follow and to ensure the contractor is compliant when on site. The method statements are written as guidance for protected species but include good management practice that should be followed at all times. The method statement will be written specifically for the contract taking place.

How many animals will be grazed on the site and what impact will this have on the landscape and habitat?

The aim of conservation grazing is to provide the ideal conditions for wildlife and the environment for the benefit of the target habitat. This normally requires a low stocking density using hardy native breeds to achieve the required outcomes. In the case of open habitat restoration and recreation in the Forest of Dean, there are times when the livestock may need to be pushed harder in order to re-set the vegetation and encourage the right structure. Open heathland habitat is in a very dynamic stage of succession which means that it is always changing and needing to be managed in order to create the optimum conditions for the wildlife which it benefits. Most of the time this will require ‘maintenance’ grazing, with involves low stocking densities throughout the growing periods. Low stocking densities are attributed to anything under one livestock unit per hectare and in the case of the conservation grazing project stocking densities will be closer to 0.5 livestock units per hectare.

What type of animals will be grazed on the site?

Dexter Cattle will be used to graze the site. They are a hardy breed which grazes readily on coarse grasses and scrub. They will help with diversifying the sward that is found there through their varied grazing habits. Dexters are small cattle however their weight and movement will help to break down some of the bracken which is beginning to get a foothold in the area.

Whose animals will be grazed on the site?

We have a local grazier who has entered into a grazing agreement with the trust to graze this area. Through this process we can monitor the impact of the cattle in the area and ensure that they are having the desired effect.

Who will look after the animals and ensure their welfare is maintained?

The Grazier will check the animals daily to ensure that their welfare is maintained.

Why are the commoners not grazing the site?

The site in its current state isn’t suitable for sheep grazing due to the vegetation that is on the site at present. The coarse grasses and shrub are too established for sheep grazing to have the desired effect at this point in time. Through the grazing of cattle, we hope to reduce the growth of the vegetation with the hope to use sheep grazing in the future.

What water supplies are available for the animals?

There are no mains supply water facilities on the conservation grazing sites. Mobile water bowsers will located on site whenever stock are present. The water level/quality in the bowsers is checked regularly by the grazier when checking the animals on site.

How long will the animals be on the site?

The duration that stock are present on site may vary depending upon the stock type, the season and the habitat management requirement. The priority open heathland habitat mosaic is in a dynamic stage of succession and is always trying to establish its climax vegetation. The grazing animals will be used to check the vegetation and maintain rotational open habitat across the site in a more natural and sustainable manner than if it were controlled mechanically or through burning. The impact of the stock on the site will be monitored regularly and the management team will encourage the stock to move into under-grazed areas or remove them if grazing pressure is too high. The different types of stock provide different grazing pressure on different vegetation communities and they will be used in combination to achieve the structural vegetation diversity targets set out by the Countryside Stewardship agreement.

What will happen to the animals once they have been taken off the site?

In most instances, the animals will move from one open habitat site to another under the conservation grazing project. Grazing will be limited within the first few years as the habitat develops and it might be necessary for the animals to be housed on other land that the Trust own throughout the county, particularly in the winter periods when food Is scarcer.

Are there plans to fence off further areas in the Forest of Dean?

The ERDF Wild Towns project will be responsible for installing three fencing compartments at Awres Glow, Bilson Green and Church Bank. There are no other areas under ERDF Wild Towns that will be fenced.

How can I get involved with the project?

As part of the ERDF Wild Towns Project in Cinderford there will be a few volunteer work parties happening at various stages. If you are interested in helping out then please contact us through the email address at the bottom of the page.

If you still haven’t found the answers you need then please email: [email protected]