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Grazing cattle arriving at two Enfield parks

Forty Hall and Trent Park will soon have small herds of grazing cattle as part of a rewilding trial project

Forty Hall Estate and (inset) red poll cattle
Forty Hall Estate and (inset) red poll cattle

Herds of cattle will be roaming around two Enfield parks from next month as a one-year rewilding trial is launched.

The red poll cattle, a “naturally docile” breed, will be released at Forty Hall Estate and Trent Park. It is hoped they will help to “manage grassland habitats and increase biodiversity”.

Enfield Council announced its intention to introduce grazing cattle last year but has now confirmed the project will launch in June. The cows set to be released will be closely monitored by environmental experts at Capel Manor College, with help from GPS tags that will be used to track the animals’ movements.

Up to 20 cows will be released at Trent Park in area comprising 15% of the park, and up to ten cows will be set free at Forty Hall in an area covering 40% of the park. Whitewebbs Park, which was initially suggested as one of the parks where the cattle would be released, will not be part of the initial trial after concerns were raised during the consultation.

A council spokesperson said: “We have provisionally planned to launch a conservation grazing project trial next month, once the infrastructure is in place.

“We will first trial a small number of red poll cattle, who are naturally docile, at Forty Hall and Trent Park. The project will benefit a wide variety of habitats such as grassland, woodland, wetland and scrub.”

The cattle grazing project has been awarded £30,282 from City Hall’s ‘Rewild London’ funding pot. Another ongoing rewilding scheme in Enfield, the beaver reintroduction trial, has had a difficult start.

A council report explaining the rationale behind the cattle grazing project further explains: “The grassland management practice of conservation grazing is promoted by a wide range of national conservation organisations including Natural England, Wildlife Trusts, RSPB and the National Trust, who view grazing as a fundamental approach to managing important habitats such as acid grasslands, wildflower meadows and heathlands.

“This particular type of grazing uses low stocking densities, as opposed to more intensive practices that use high stocking densities which can lead to overgrazing.

“Conservation grazing reduces competition from faster growing vegetation and creates conditions for plants to set seed including less dominant grass species. This creates varied sward heights which cannot be achieved with mowing and helps to restore wildflower meadows that support a much wider variety of insects, birds and small mammals.

“Grasslands and ruminant animals have an interrelationship which has been adapted and built over millions of years, and conservation grazing helps restore these natural processes.”

The report also states that both Forty Hall and Trent Park have been identified as “at risk” by Historic England because of encroaching woodland that threatens heritage assets, such as the remains of Elsyng Palace at Forty Hall. Conservation grazing is seen as one way to “address management issues”.

Before being released, individual cows “will be checked for suitable temperament” before they are selected for release by Capel Manor College. GPS collars will then be used as “containment technology” which will “create virtual boundaries to keep animals in designated areas” – meaning that fences are not necessary.

The report adds: “It is a behavioural system that provides an audio melody that increases in pitch and volume as they approach the virtual boundary.”

Although dog owners will not be forced to keep their pets on leads at Trent Park and Forty Hall during the trial, they are advised to “be responsible” and use leads if they have concerns about their dogs’ behaviour when in proximity to the cattle.


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