Bringing back nature
A small herd of traditional cattle will be helping to bring wildlife back to Northern Ireland’s highest peaks following a devastating fire two years ago.
In April 2021, flames ravaged more than 700 acres of land in the Mourne Mountains, including part of the country’s highest peak, Slieve Donard.
It became one of the biggest fires of its kind recorded in Northern Ireland. An area once brimming with flora and fauna was scorched. Vegetation was destroyed and the number of species was greatly reduced.
Since then, The National Trust, which cares for much of the area, has been trialling different methods to rejuvenate the land with the goal of bringing it back to full health for the plants and animals that live there.
The area is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and home to beloved animals including the Irish hare, and rare plants like the pale butterwort and starry saxifrage.
The charity is working in partnership with its tenant farmer to add a herd of Luing cattle to its restoration efforts.
The herd of six cows will trample bracken and chomp through the dominant purple moor-grass that has sprung up since the fire.
It’s hoped the move will provide space for native plants and heather to return and to create habitat for newts, lizards, ground-nesting birds and hares.
The animals, which are looked after by a tenant farmer, will wear special collars with GPS tracking attached to them.
Reintroducing traditional cattle
This means grazing can be targeted at particular areas of the mountains without the need for intrusive fences, while maintaining high levels of animal welfare.
‘The project is a fantastic example of working to deliver a natural solution through the reintroduction of traditional cattle and use of technology to showcase that farming has a vital role to play in tackling the nature and climate crisis,’ says Kevin Duncan, Land Use and Farming Adviser at the National Trust in Northern Ireland.
‘Our farmer has spent a long time researching a suitable breed of animal for the job, one which is hardy enough to deliver conservation grazing in this upland environment whilst still producing good beef calves for the market.’
‘The hardy Luing cow was the breed of choice, which is adept to conservation grazing in the uplands due to their highland heritage and has a docile nature.’
‘This traditional breed of cattle isn’t a fussy browser and will chomp down rank grasses like purple moor-grass, unlike sheep which are a more selective grazer.’
‘Cattle would have been much more common on uplands in days gone-by and both cattle and sheep grazing at the right intensity are vital to ensuring a landscape rich in wildlife.’
‘The virtual grazing paddocks are created using a mapping app which then communicates with the collar on the animal.’
‘The paddocks will be targeted in areas where purple moor-grass is dominating and the cattle will be brought first to a grazing paddock near Thomas Quarry where we already have a livestock handling facility.’
Return of cattle to the Mournes
‘It is exciting to see the return of cattle to the Mournes,’ says Patrick Doran, Wildfire Recovery Ranger at the National Trust will monitor the success of the cattle grazing.
‘It will be particularly interesting to see how their grazing will aid in the recovery of the habitats damaged by the 2021 wildfire.’
‘We hope the cattle will help reduce the cover of purple moor-grass in the area, which is inhibiting the recovery of the habitat, reducing the cover of this species will allow heather to recover.’
‘These changes will be determined by ongoing monitoring carried out across the site.’
Image of fire devastating a significant area of the Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland in April 2021 was kindly provided by Kelvin Boyes PressEye.
Image showing the aftermath of the damage caused by the wildfire in The Mourne Mountains in Northern Ireland was taken in April, 2021. Credit: National Trust.