Nature features

Longmoor Inclosure near Bordon, north of Petersfield is the latest area of Ministry of Defence land which the Hampshire Wildlife Trust has been brought in to manage.

It's use as a military training area for decades has actually been highly beneficial for the site - it hasn't been ploughed up, built on or forested which it otherwise might have been - and so is preserved as a haven for wildlife.

Hampshire Wildlife Trust's Alex Cruikshank

Project manager Alex Cruickshank explained: "The heathlands have been the way they are for many thousands of years. Because of that history, these sites are very important for wildlife."

Restoring heathland

Having management of the land means the Trust can restore the heathland to its natural state - the first stage of which is removing scots pine saplings.

"These can prevent indigenous plants from growing, creating a bare blanket under which little wildlife can survive.  We want to restore the prime heathland for wildflowers, birds and wildlife."

The best way to manage the heathland on a long-term basis is to introduce grazing cattle.  To cope with the tough heath, rather than lush pastureland, a particularly hardy herd of Shetland Cattle are being introduced to the site.

Shetland Cattle

"They munch the grass and the vegetation and create the ideal conditions for lots of the wildlife that we want to maintain."

The herd is owned by local farmer Stephanie Holloway and can cope with the tough conditions and terrain which makes them ideal 'lawn mowers' for the Hampshire heathland.  Shetland cattle are bred for their meat, which Stephanie will sell at her farm.

The rare breed originally came from Scandinavia and were bought to the Shetland Isles by the Vikings.

The cattle are being introduced at the start of April.

Army training

The army will also continue to train on the land - so how do soldiers and cows get on?

Alex is confident the cattle will adapt to the combat simulations: "Initially they might get a bit spooked.  There aren't any live bullets but there are bangs and flashes.  But its a massive area so the cattle are well able to move and after a while they get so used to it, they don't even notice."

Work to clear the pine trees

Volunteers

The Wildlife Trust is now recruiting volunteer 'lookers' to help look after Longmoor Inclosure.

These are local dog-walkers or other regular users of the site who are trained check up on the welfare of the cattle.

Work parties will also regularly visit the site to remove large pine trees and remove bracken to keep the heathland in its natural state.

Longmoor is the latest section of military-owned land to be added to the Grazing for wildlife project.  A total of nearly 3,000 hectares are covered by a ten-year grazing licence which covers other training areas around Fleet and Aldershot.