A herd of eight belted Galloway cattle has been introduced to Barber Wood, a woodland near Cheltenham, to revitalise the local ecosystem and encourage growth of wildflowers and insects. These distinctive cattle, native to southwest Scotland, are part of a conservation effort led by the Woodland Trust.
Located in Ullenwood, south of Cheltenham, Barber Wood is owned by the Woodland Trust, which secured a £35,000 grant from the Landfill Communities Fund to support this ecological restoration. Danielle Semple, the Woodland Trust’s engagement and communications officer, explains that the limestone grassland habitat at Barber Wood is deteriorating due to invasive tussocky grass overwhelming native herbs and wildflowers.
“Our goal is to create an environment where rare plants such as frog orchids and wildlife like the duke of Burgundy butterfly, lesser spotted woodpecker, and dormice can flourish,” said Semple. “Introducing cattle grazing is the most effective way to manage the habitat’s quality.”
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The grant provided by the Enovert Community Trust (ECT) funded essential preparations including reconfiguring fencing, installing water supplies, thinning out young woodland, and launching a public outreach campaign to inform visitors of the changes.
The cattle, managed by the National Trust, will graze the site year-round, helping control coarse grasses and invasive plants. Lisa Edinborough, Stroud Landscape Project Manager, emphasises the benefits: “The cows help open up the woodland canopy by browsing young trees, boosting biodiversity and supporting the National Trust’s goal to improve habitat connectivity in the Stroud area.”
To monitor grazing, the cattle wear NoFence collars, restricting them to designated zones. Visitors can use a QR code on a newly installed orientation board to see where the herd is grazing at any given time.
Angela Haymonds, manager of the Enovert Community Trust, praised the project: “We’re proud to support this innovative approach that improves both the quality of the grassland and structural diversity within the woodland.”
Barber Wood, featuring a unique mix of young broadleaf woodland, pasture, and rare limestone grassland, remains a popular open-access site for dog walkers and nature enthusiasts. The limestone grassland, currently covering only 1.5% of the Cotswolds, has sharply declined from 40% coverage in 1930, making conservation efforts like this essential for preserving the region’s natural heritage.