FLS managing habitats and history with grazing

A hardy breed of horses is helping Forestry and Land Scotland’s (FLS) conservation efforts in a remote part of Scotland’s west coast.

A partnership with a local owner of Welsh horses is harnessing the power of conservation grazing to manage the species-rich Samhairidh (pronounced Savary) Coronation meadow on the Morvern peninsula.

FLS works with local graziers across Scotland to manage some of its important open habitats and historic sites but this is usually with cattle, and occasionally sheep. However, with retirement of the previous cattle grazier the hunt for a replacement resulted in FLS teaming up with horsewomen Lizzie Mackenzie.

The horses are playing a vital and critical role in preserving the meadow along with an important historic site in the area.

Grazing animals tend to eat the lusher plant species, which would otherwise outcompete the finer grasses and flowering plants that make meadows so special. Grazing, combined with cutting and the removal of grass for hay, reduces the nutrients in the soil, which advantages the special plants over the more common ones.

FLS Open Habitats Ecologist Hebe Carus said:

“Grazing is critical to some habitats, including species rich grassland of which the UK has lost about 97% in the last 100 years, and Samhairidh (or Savary) is one of our very best with 90 species of plants recorded on the four hectare site, including the stunning greater butterfly orchid.

“Sites like these are small but mighty for biodiversity, and the undisturbed soils that support the species-richness also locks up carbon, so helps tackle climate change.”

As well as providing a natural way to manage and conserve the meadow, the horses are also helping to preserve history.

Hebe added:

“Before the horses are needed for the late summer and autumn grazing on the meadow, they spend the earlier part of the summer on the nearby Scheduled Ancient Monument of Aoineadh Mòr.

“Here they help us keep the historical township visible for visitors to enjoy along our marked path, providing access to the site which is a link to the people evicted from their homes at a time often referred to as the Highland Clearances.

“We hope these productive relationships with local graziers will continue for the benefit of nature and historical sites, while providing grazing within local communities.”

Lizzie Mackenzie said having the opportunity to graze the land with her horses was particularly meaningful.

"Horses can sometimes get a bad reputation for their impact on the land, but when managed in the right way they can be hugely beneficial for biodiversity and the overall health of a landscape. Seeing the meadow brimming with such a variety of life is a real joy.

“As a descendant of the people who were cleared from the township of Aoineadh Mòr, it’s deeply significant for me to have the animals there in the summer. It feels like a small act of reconnection — of people, animals, and land coming back into relationship. It’s wonderful for the horses too, and this kind of seasonal movement keeps the herd happy, resilient and healthy.”

Background:

Conservation grazing | Forestry and Land Scotland

Coronation Meadows | Forestry and Land Scotland

Aoineadh Mòr (Inniemore) | Forestry and Land Scotland

Notes to editors

1. Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) manages forests and land owned by Scottish Ministers in a way that supports and enables economically sustainable forestry; conserves and enhances the environment; delivers benefits for people and nature; and supports Scottish Ministers in their stewardship of Scotland's national forests and land.
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