Conservation cattle deliver lasting benefits at Cannock Chase through healthier and more diverse heathland
A conservation scheme by Staffordshire Council has helped to provide healthier heathland and benefit wildlife year round.
Over the past few months, Staffordshire Council’s conservation grazing cattle have been at work across the Moors Gorse Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on Cannock Chase, feeding on fast-growing vegetation and helping to restore the delicate balance that heathland needs.
Staffordshire Council said that unlike mechanical cutting, cattle graze selectively and this creates a varied mosaic of vegetation at different heights.
A spokesman for Staffordshire Council said: "This diversity is vital because different species of insects, birds and small mammals rely on a mix of shorter grasses, taller heather and open ground to feed, shelter and breed.
"As the cattle moved naturally across the site, their hooves gently disturbed the soil, creating small patches of bare ground.
"These gaps provide important basking spots for reptiles and butterflies and allow new heather seedlings to germinate, helping to secure the future of the heathland."
Alongside grazing, the council’s countryside rangers have continued to support habitat management using specialist machinery to cut back areas of ageing heather and control bracken where needed.
Over the winter months, rangers will remain on site carrying out fence checks and clearing small patches of scrub, preparing the area for the cattle’s return next spring.
Hayley Coles, Staffordshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Culture, said: “Conservation grazing at Moors Gorse is a great example of how working with nature can deliver real results.
"The cattle play a vital role in creating the varied habitats that so many plants and animals depend on, and the benefits continue long after they’ve moved on.
“Our rangers put a huge amount of care into managing these special sites all year round, and this combined approach is helping to protect Cannock Chase’s heathland for future generations to enjoy.”
Visitors are reminded that while cattle are no longer on Moors Gorse for the winter, Cannock Chase remains a protected landscape.
People are asked to stick to marked paths, keep dogs under close control, and respect the wildlife and habitats that make the area so special.
For updates on conservation work across Cannock Chase and Staffordshire’s country parks, follow the Staffordshire Country Parks Facebook page.
