1 Management of Small Pastures (Pdf)

01 Kent Wildlife Trust Land Management Advice Series Management of Small Pastures This sheet includes information about the following topics: ● importance of pastures for wildlife ● types of grassland ● why graze? ● livestock and finding a grazier ● increasing the botanical diversity Cowden Pound Pastures: the large anthills indicate that the field has not been of your pasture ploughed or harrowed for several decades © Kent Wildlife Trust ● what time of year is best for This leaflet is designed to give owners ● semi-improved grassland contains a grazing? of small pastures some general wider array of species, typically between ● scrub recommendations on how to manage 8 to 15 per square metre ● other habitats in your pasture their land and assumes that the primary ● species-rich grassland contains over objective is to manage the land for 15 species per square metre. In Kent, ● dealing with ragwort and other nature conservation purposes. there are several different types of problem plants species-rich grassland: acid grassland, As part of the wider farmed landscape, ● references and further reading pastures have their part to play in neutral grassland and chalk grassland providing habitat for a range of species. (see Further reading). These types of ● further advice They can provide nesting sites for grassland can include over 40 species birds such as skylarks, a source of per square metre. invertebrates on which birds can feed Traditionally managed, wildflower-rich their chicks, cover for brown hares and grasslands have declined by 97% in habitat for over-wintering invertebrates. the last few decades, mainly as a result Pastures which are botanically diverse of agricultural intensification through (‘species-rich grassland’) can provide a more efficient farming techniques. Their source of nectar and pollen for insects disappearance is thought to have led to the such as bumblebees and butterflies, and drastic decline of many species including plants on which invertebrates can lay bumblebees, farmland birds and wildflowers. their eggs. Pasture can include extensive areas of Types of grassland grazing marsh such as those found on the North Kent marshes and Romney Marsh, Grassland falls into three categories: and historic parklands such as Knole Park. ● agriculturally improved grassland Not all pasture has the potential to be contains very few species; it is generally particularly rich in plant species: for example, dominated by rye-grass, white clover, grazing marsh tends to be botanically poor buttercups, dandelion, chickweed, due to the nature of the soil, but can provide common mouse-ear and coarse grasses excellent habitat for rare species such as Display of devil’s-bit scabious on traditional pasture © Kent Wildlife Trust such as cock’s-foot lapwing and other wetland birds. Large print version available by calling 01622 662012 Your living landscape. Your living seas. Ancient dune pasture, Sandwich Bay Species-rich grazing marsh. South Swale Longhorn cattle grazing traditional © Kent Wildlife Trust © R.I. Moyse pasture in the Weald © Kent Wildlife Trust Why graze? to them. Horses, sheep and cattle all clover, harebell, lady’s bedstraw, graze in different ways, and the needs of lichens, mosses, betony, cowslip, From a nature conservation point of view, traditional breeds of livestock will differ eyebright, oxeye daisy, ragged robin, the main purposes of grazing are: from those of more modern breeds; for yellow rattle, wild basil, marjoram, ● selective grazing of different species further information, read our leaflet A brief thymes, salad burnet, yellow-wort, of plant guide to choosing livestock for conservation common centaury. grazing. If you are getting an outside grazier ● removal of annual vegetation growth in you may be able to charge a small fee for What time of year through grazing helps to control the is best for grazing? dominance of coarse grasses, prevent the grazing. This may depend on the site Choosing what time of year to put scrub from encroaching, and gives and how easy it is to graze (access, water livestock on site can be tricky and wildflowers and finer grasses a chance supply, condition of fencing etc). will partly depend on the individual of establishing and maintaing themselves site’s management requirements, in the grassland Increasing the botanical diversity of your pasture but also the weather and availability Removal of vegetation - and therefore of livestock. Generally, late summer nutrients - can be achieved through either It is possible to increase the number of – autumn grazing is the best period grazing or mechanical cutting (if the cuttings species found in pasture, or indeed to for grazing a site for conservation. are removed). However, only grazing with recreate pasture from arable land, but the It is least damaging to invertebrate livestock can create a mosaic effect across end result will depend on many factors, communities, it removes the past the site, with patches of tall and short including nutrient levels, weed burden, year’s vegetation growth and still vegetation, some poaching (trampling and availability of local seed sources, current allows for plants to flower and seed. churning up of ground in wet weather) and species composition, soil type and geology. However, if there are early- or late- some areas of scrub – this is what creates To increase botanical diversity, you must flowering plants (such as autumn many micro-habitats which then attract a not add any artificial fertiliser on traditional lady’s tresses), then you may wish wider range of species. pastures. For further advice, please see the to vary the grazing on different parts Trust’s advice sheets dedicated to specific of the field or in different years, so types of species-rich grassland. as to allow those plants to flower The main methods for diversifying the and set seed. Where possible, sward are spreading green hay from a avoid grazing from May – July or, if nearby species-rich meadow and using unavoidable, reduce grazing intensity. wildflower plugs (young plants) or wild flower seed. The method you choose will depend partly on the availability of Cuttings left on adds nutrients to the soil and make it difficult for wildflower seeds to germinate local seed sources and also your budget, and grow © Kent Wildlife Trust although we would always recommend allowing seed to come in naturally or using Livestock and finding green hay as a first option. a grazier Plant species which are indicative of If you have not kept livestock before, unimproved species-rich grassland include then you are advised to look up relevant (but will depend on soil type): legislation on the DEFRA website. Horses bird’s-foot trefoil, devil’s bit scabious, Display of orchids on traditional pasture are not usually classified as livestock and common knapweed, orchids, milkwort © Kent Wildlife Trust many of these regulations do not apply species, vetches, clovers other than white Orange tip butterfly © G.Hitchcock Harebells © J.Shorter Ragged robin © R.Moyse Large ant hill © Kent Wildlife Trust Skylark chicks © Tony Morris Grass snake © D. Watson Grazing at this time of year is good for Some issues with grazing at this time of year… Spring ● encourages the grass to tiller (spread) thus ● repeated heavy spring grazing may cause local grazing reducing bare ground extinctions of some plant species (April-May) ● a popular choice with graziers since they will be ● can affect invertebrate numbers and ground-nesting anxious to get their livestock out of doors breeding birds (nests maybe trampled, especially ● will check the growth of sycamore and hawthorn if stock density is high) saplings, bramble, dogwood Summer ● livestock can benefit from highly productive ● can graze out wildflower species and/or prevent grazing vegetation growth and keep some herb species annuals or biennials from setting seed (May- and saplings in check ● reduces foraging sites for invertebrates such as September) ● less likely to cause poaching bumblebees, which rely on nectar and pollen Late ● least damaging for invertebrates ● some vegetation may be unpalatable summer/ ● little effect on flower species ● may remove leaves on which invertebrates feed early autumn ● may help seed dispersal ● livestock may just trample tall vegetation grazing (September to October) Autumn/ ● dormant herbs and grasses will be weakened ● trampling can lead to poaching, which can result winter ● invertebrates likely to be overwintering in an increase in weeds grazing ● fewer nutrients removed (October ● can help break up leaf litter to March) ● can remove too much plant litter ● may not control tall grasses ● vegetation is unpalatable and livestock may require supplementary feeding ● livestock may just trample tall vegetation grassland are left uncut or ungrazed for several years (see Managing field margins for Further reading wildlife). Although this vegetation will be less and references interesting from a botanical point of view, Bumblebee Conservation Trust it will provide excellent habitat for Land Management Factsheet 3 bumblebees and small mammals, so it Managing wildflower pastures for is worth keeping some areas around the bumblebees Bare ground caused by overgrazing © I.Rickards margins of your field (you may need to fence them off from livestock); good The Grazing Animals Project (G.A.P.) populations of small mammals will in turn downloadable publications and the attract species such as barn owl and kestrel. G.A.P. discussion forum (Nibblers) cover a whole range of conservation Protected

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