Sheep for nature conservation: heathland care as a community project!

Sheep for nature conservation: heathland care as a community project!

In an exciting step for nature conservation and organic farming, the CSA Hof Pente and the Lower Saxony Forestry Office Ankum have started a joint project for sheep grazing on heathland. The project location is below the medium-voltage line along Hollager Straße in Schager Sand. The aim of this initiative is to maintain the heathland and to avoid high tree cover under the power line.

To date, the forestry office has managed the maintenance of the areas by manually cutting down tree growth such as pines, birches and buckthorn, which was not the best solution in the long term. The idea for grazing came from the forestry department itself, but this required an animal keeper on site. The CSA Hof Pente will benefit from the new strategy: farmers can use areas near the farm and expand the pasture area for their sheep.

Nature conservation and biodiversity

The valuable heathland areas are home to diverse plant species such as common heather, bell heather and crowberry and offer optimal habitat for grasshoppers, bees, reptiles and birds. Grazing with robust sheep breeds such as Wallachian sheep, Drenth Heath sheep and Pomeranian sheep is particularly beneficial. These sheep specialize in nutrient-poor pastures and contribute to the desired vegetation composition in favor of the heath.

However, there are also challenges. Garbage is regularly disposed of on the edges of the area facing Hollager Street, which pollutes the surrounding area and, in one tragic incident, resulted in a sheep being injured by the garbage and having to be euthanized. Therefore the urgent request to the public: dispose of your rubbish properly! This is the only way to protect people, animals and the landscape.

Public awareness of environmental protection

The importance of projects like this, which balance both nature and agriculture, cannot be overstated. Citizens are called upon to actively work to preserve these valuable landscapes. This not only benefits the wildlife, but also increases the quality of life in the region.

The interplay between nature conservation and organic farming impressively shows how regional initiatives with a good hand can help ensure that biodiversity and sustainable agriculture go hand in hand. It is time for other regions to follow this example and launch local projects that promote both nature and the economy.

For more information about sustainable agriculture and nature conservation, please visit their website State forests. Other topics relating to digital help from Microsoft and living trends can also be found useful at Microsoft Support as well as Primer Magazine.