Sustainable Grazing
Assessing sustainable grazing levels
Vegetation on common land has changed dramatically over the last 4,000 years from a time when most common land up to 650m above sea level was wooded. Today in the uplands almost none is wooded and, in the lowlands, scrub is invading due to the lack of interest in grazing by commoners.
It can be difficult to obtain agreement on what is regarded as an appropriate level of stocking for individual commons because of a divergence of views.
It is therefore important to have an understanding of each others objectives.
Ecologists tend to favour low grazing levels in order to encourage a wide mosaic of vegetation types.
Farmers usually favour higher grazing levels as a common can be productive from an agricultural perspective, which can reduce the diversity of vegetation.
Farmers wish to have some flexibility in levels of stocking in order to respond to market forces and changes in government subsidies.
Ecologists often have a very specific focus on delivering particular vegetation types as detailed in a SSSI designation. This is the approach used for delivering HLS agreements which may involve some woodland planting and control of scrub and, possibly, the reintroduction of different types of grazing animals.
A grouse shoot may wish for wall to wall heather burnt in short rotations while an ecologist will seek a greater diversity of vegetation that requires longer burning rotations and some no burn areas.
On many commons the numbers of active farmers has reduced considerably. Those that remain may need to maintain a minimum number of stock for viable businesses in the longer term, compatible with available resources including labour, housing and the constraints of the physical geography.
Most farmers apply for agri-environment scheme (AE) agreements because they need the financial benefits they offer. However, tensions can arise when particular stocking levels are “imposed” by Natural England advisers with limited evidence that the recommended change in stocking will deliver the required outcome on the particular site. In the context of HLS, the data collected for the Farm Environment Plan (FEP) is key to having an accurate assessment of the common and appropriate level of grazing, as well as having an understanding of the existing systems of livestock husbandry and farming systems. The factors to consider are:
Altitude, geology and aspect
The vegetation types and the areas of each type
The stock carrying capacity of each type of vegetation to achieve the desired outcomes
Impact of wildlife, e.g. deer and rabbits, on grazing capacity
Impact of grazing levels at different times of the year and use of supplementary feeding
Variation across the common
Impact on the farm businesses resulting from stock changes on the common
Impact of changes to the types and numbers of stock, grip blocking and woodland planting on how stock use the common
The variation in stocking systems among different commoners
Whether the common can be regarded as a separate grazing unit (where stock umbers and their management can be controlled by existing boundaries or shepherding)
Changes in the levels of stocking may have a knock-on effect on grazing livestock on neighbouring commons.