Have you noticed that there are Cattle grazing at Hylands Park?
Chelmsford City and Essex County Councils have been working in partnership with Legacy Grazing to reintroduce grazing to Hylands Estate using a herd of Red Poll Cattle. Not only is this traditional meadow management, it will continue to improve the 13 hectares of meadow along the River Wid within the estate.
Managing a meadow with grazing cattle gives opportunity to many different plant and insect species as the cattle will selectively chew their way through many areas of the grass creating a mosaic of different sward lengths which will give opportunity to less dominant plant species. When the cattle lye and roll this improves grass structure that will give ground nesting birds such as Lapwing valuable space to nest and rear their young.
Even the trampled bare earth that you will see around the watering trough that the cattle create gives opportunity to reptiles that will come out to hunt and bask in the warm sun.
