Hazeley Heath is one of the largest surviving remnants of endangered lowland heath in the north Hampshire. Due to the rarity and importance of its heath land plant and animal communities, the site is designated by Natural England as a Site of Special Scientific Interest . It is part of the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area (SPA) due to its breeding population of the internationally protected Dartford Warbler, Woodlark and Nightjar.
In 2007, after much public consultation, a management plan for Hazeley Heath was produced. One of the proposals was that a grazing trail should be established to evaluate whether or not grazing would be suitable in the future as a locally acceptable and sustainable approach to the management of the heath land. Grazing can have huge conservation benefits, and it is hoped that by putting cattle on the heath the desired mosaic of micro-habitats essential for maintaining the richness and diversity of the flora and fauna can be achieved.
The trial, which has received funding from Natural England and the SITA Trust Enriching Nature project, will run over a five year period and will be managed by the Hart District Council Countryside team under direction from the Hazeley Heath steering group.
Temporary electric fencing was erected in April around the two trial plots, one in the north (in Mattingley parish) and one in the south (in Hartley Wintney parish). Horse-friendly bridle gates have been installed at well used pathways into the grazing plot to provide continued public access. Part of the fencing will be removed in the winter months to allow greater public access.
In 2007, after much public consultation, a management plan for Hazeley Heath was produced. One of the proposals was that a grazing trail should be established to evaluate whether or not grazing would be suitable in the future as a locally acceptable and sustainable approach to the management of the heath land. Grazing can have huge conservation benefits, and it is hoped that by putting cattle on the heath the desired mosaic of micro-habitats essential for maintaining the richness and diversity of the flora and fauna can be achieved.
The trial, which has received funding from Natural England and the SITA Trust Enriching Nature project, will run over a five year period and will be managed by the Hart District Council Countryside team under direction from the Hazeley Heath steering group.
Temporary electric fencing was erected in April around the two trial plots, one in the north (in Mattingley parish) and one in the south (in Hartley Wintney parish). Horse-friendly bridle gates have been installed at well used pathways into the grazing plot to provide continued public access. Part of the fencing will be removed in the winter months to allow greater public access.
The two small herds of local Belted Galloway cross Dexter cattle, which started grazing from mid-May, were removed from the trial sites at the beginning of July because of the risk to them from fires which destroyed 12 hectares of heathland nearby.
On July 26th, after the risk of fire was assessed to be minimal, a new herd of six Friesian cattle were released on to the southern grazing plot and have settled in well.
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