Sheep to graze royal parks after 90-year gap

THE CLOCK is to be turned back more than 90 years with a plan to let sheep graze London’s Royal Parks.

They last roamed the pastures in the 1930s but now they are returning as part of a project to revive Britain’s wildflower meadows supported by Prince Charles.

From today, commuters crossing Green Park on their way to work will notice a herd of rare sheep eating the grass.

Experts hope this natural conservation method will tame the dominant plants within one of the park’s two wildflower meadows, allowing flowers to flourish and a rich diversity of invertebrates to grow.

If successful, grazing sheep could soon become a common sight in central London, with provisional plans in place to introduce flocks to Hyde Park, Regent’s Park and Richmond Park.

Most grasslands in the UK eventually become dense scrub or woodland if left ungrazed.

The six sheep starting their week-long stint on Monday have been selected because, unlike modern commercial breeds, they can survive on the natural vegetation alone and do not rely on supplementary feed.

With breeds including an Oxford Downs, Whitefaced Woodlands and Southdown’s, they will be be protected by both a wooden and electric fence, with a shepherd guarding them during the day.

A third of the park’s wildflower area will be kept free of sheep in order to compare the difference they make.

The initiative is part of the Royal Parks Mission Invertebrate project, which has received £600,000 from the People’s Postcode Lottery.

Dr Alice Laughton, who is leading the project, said: “We are very excited to be carrying out the first sheep grazing trial in The Royal Parks.

“By increasing the biodiversity of the park grasslands, we hope to encourage the invertebrates that inhabit meadow grasslands to flourish, and it will help plan how we manage the parks in the future.”

Earlier this year the Prince of Wales urged every farmer in the country to plant at least one wildflower meadow on which cattle or sheep can live.

We are very excited to be carrying out the first sheep grazing trial Dr Alice Laughton, who is leading the Royal Parks Mission Invertebrate project.

PICTURES: PA WIRE. CHEWING IT OVER: A cow and a herd of rare-breed sheep graze in Green Park in central London, as part of a conservation trial to help wildlife diversity.