Cheers, Willrow
I think no-one in BC would argue that using cattle (the right cattle, at the right time and densities) to break-down scrub and open-up an overgrown meadow site is beneficial, nor that grazing by sheep (to the correct densities and at the right times) does provide management that aids development of a site for
Lepidoptera, in the right circumstances. However, there seems little flexibility in some of these management regimes; once sites are opened-up, different regimes need to be adopted. Timing and density of stock is critical to butterflies and moths, yet because many reserves are grazed with native rare breeds, or the like, it is "All Right" and "Natural" - often forgetting those first two critical points.
What I see and hear is that many schemes that qualify, or would qualify, for environmental funding, manage to a standard they are measured by - one that comes down from Natural England. Anyone that has read these provisions-
HK15 Maintenance of grassland for target features, for instance - will see there is only vague mention of
target species and no consideration in the plans for
Lepidoptera, what-so-ever. Yet these are the schemes that our money is being channelled into, through government schemes and support the claims that something is being done....
If you gave a smaller budget and the management of such schemes to local BC members on-the-ground, I'm sure that both
Lepidoptera would benefit - and it would cost us less as tax-payers too.
A win-win situation I would say...
...)
