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Naturalistic grazing and re-wilding. How do we do conservation?. Nature conservation often ‘gardening’ Inevitable with small sites Cultural landscapes Hostile socio-political environment Specific habitat/species Driven by target-focused conservation approach Many strengths to this. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Naturalistic grazing and re-wilding
How do we do conservation?
• Nature conservation often ‘gardening’– Inevitable with small sites
– Cultural landscapes
– Hostile socio-political environment
– Specific habitat/species
• Driven by target-focused conservation approach
• Many strengths to this
Agencies have looked at re-wilding
• Total freedom not possible, but the limits can be stretched• Science-base must be sound
The past as a template – pre-Neolithic landscape?
• The traditional view – closed forest• Vera’s view
– ‘Half-open park-like landscape’
– Driven by large herbivores
• Research by CEH, Paul Buckland
• ENRR 648
– www.english-nature.org.uk
Vera’s arguments considered• Pollen analysis over-emphasised trees • Regular abundance of light-demanding trees • Failure of oak to thrive in non-intervention reserves• Ignored of role of large grazers (Serengeti model)• Misinterpretation of medieval references to forest• Comparison with US ‘old-growth’stands• Abundance of ‘open’ species in current landscapes • Plus subsequent publications/debate
Hypothesis, not Fact
• Half open landscape – no strong evidence
• Herbivores were main driver of change – assumption
• Herbivores always give half-open landscape - wrong
Naturalistic grazing regimes• Re-wilding• Landscape scale, mosaics of
habitats• Natural(-istic) processes such
as grazing
• Land abandonment under CAP reform
• Forestry renaissance• Rewilding initiatives
Conservation issues?
• Are we prepared to allow change?
• Re-wilding is unpredictable• Wood may go to heath, but
heath may go to woodland quicker!
• Re-wilding may mean losses of abundance of species, even extinctions
Keep some targets…?
Regulation issues• Welfare legislation exists
• Feral animals are not wild
• Deer within fenced areas may fall into the category of ‘kept’ animals.
• Disease issues
Legal constraints
Public support issues
• Much likely land has public access– Footpaths
– Right to roam
• Domestic stock kill people – Extra problems of dogs
– Stallions and horse riders
• Jurassic Park planning– Dealing with escapes
Ways forward• Need large areas• Likely to be staged process
– Bring stakeholders on board
• Public
• Regulators
• Conservationists
– Opportunity to stop at each stage
• Likely to be more very extensive farming than fully wild• Not recreation of past, but new cultural landscape
Thank you!