A herd of Hebridean sheep has been acquired by Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust to help the wildlife charity manage their nature reserves and increase biodiversity.

The seven sheep, the first Hebridean’s owned by the Trust, are currently grazing Patmore Heath Nature Reserve, near Little Hadham, alongside an established herd of eight Herdwick sheep. The grass heathland site is a habitat rarely found in the South-east of England and has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest due to its ecological importance. As well as being home to a large expanse of dry grasses, the site also has ponds and marshy areas, supporting a range of wildlife including, locally rare Heath Rush, sphagnum moss, and Great Crested Newts, which are a protected species.   

Kathryn Dunnett, Reserves Officer at Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust explains,

“Grazing plays an important role in habitat management. These sheep breeds like to eat scrub, particularly bramble, which is why we’ve chosen them. They are also hardy animals, originating from islands off the northwest coast of Scotland and the Lake District, which means they can stay out over winter and require little human intervention. The sheep remove or reduce some of the less desirable plant species on our nature reserves and allow less competitive plants to thrive. They also remove nutrients from the soil, which is important in maintaining low nutrient soil levels which characterise heathlands. The sheep will have a direct impact on the diversity and abundance of plant species at Patmore Heath, and on the invertebrates they attract, plus the birds, mammals and amphibians which, in turn, feed upon them.

“Patmore Heath is a vitally important site for wildlife with all three species of native newts breeding in the ponds, birds of prey soaring overhead, and grasses and wildflowers characteristic of this habitat putting on a fine display over the summer months, with Sheep Sorrel, in particular, giving the heath a distinctive red flush. Habitats such as this are few and far between and we need to preserve those we have in the best condition we can – the sheep will help us to do that."

Dan Townsend, Senior Reserves Officer at Herts and Middlesex Trust adds that the public can help too, saying,

“We would urge dog owners to keep dogs on leads for their own protection as well as that of the sheep. Picking up dog poo is important too as it can spread disease, not only to wildlife but also to grazing animals, like the sheep we have here, at Patmore Heath. Also, if left on the ground it adds nutrients to the soil and upsets the natural balance of what we are trying to achieve in preserving this scarce heathland habitat.

“We appreciate that many dog owners are also nature lovers and hope that by following these simple steps we can all continue to enjoy the delights of this and other wildlife havens.”

Hertfordshire State of Nature Report 2020 states that in Hertfordshire, over the last 50 years, grassland and heathland have seen a greater extent of noticeable species decline than any other habitat. Of the species associated with this habitat and with sufficient data to be analysed, 14% have gone extinct since 1970 and 48% have noticeably declined.

Later this year, the Hebridean sheep will be moved from Patmore Heath to the Trust’s Aldbury Nowers Nature Reserve, near Tring, where they will help to tackle the scrub on the northern compartment of the chalk grassland site. The Trust also own a flock of Shetland sheep, which are currently grazing at Amwell Nature Reserve, near Ware, and which will move to Fir and Pond Woods, near Potters Bar in the summer.

For more information about the Trust and our projects, see our other news stories here.