The re-wilding continues
To get the most out of the re-wilding area, we needed some beasts... cows to be precise. Luckily I know a local breeder, who says she could loan us a few Belted Galloways... so how hard could it be? Tyring to get six cows into a trailor is harder than you think, cows are sooo heavy, you cant just push them around! Just the opposite... So after a long morning, finally we released six beautiful Galloways into half of the area, including Tin Tin, born on 1st August. I've visited them nearly every morning now, and they re so used to me now, that the young ones come running over...
The point of having them isn’t about farming or milk/meat production, but about restoring natural ecosystem processes. Here’s why they’re important:
🌿 1. Habitat Creation and Diversity
Grazing patterns create a patchwork of short and tall vegetation, which supports a greater variety of plants, insects, and birds.
This mosaic structure mimics the effect of ancient wild herbivores like aurochs (the wild ancestors of domestic cattle).
🌱 2. Soil Health and Nutrient Cycling
Cow dung and urine return nutrients to the soil and support invertebrate communities (like dung beetles).
Their trampling helps seed dispersal and promotes soil aeration.
🌾 3. Natural Succession Control
Without grazers, grassland and scrub can quickly turn into dense woodland.
Cows help keep open areas open, allowing wildflowers and grassland species to thrive.
🐄 4. Reintroduction of Natural Disturbance
Wild ecosystems need disturbance (from fire, floods, or grazing) to stay dynamic.
Cows act as agents of disturbance — breaking up dense swards, creating mud patches, and maintaining varied terrain structure.
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