Hands Off Hartlebury Common

Grazing 'stopping moor walkers' (Score: 1)
by Andy B (andy@megalithic.co.uk) on Monday, 22 March 2010

A scheme allowing cattle to graze on moors is spoiling land and discouraging walkers, moor users in Cornwall say.

Under the Natural England Environmental Stewardship Scheme, cattle are allowed to graze on land, often near footpaths, in a bid to encourage wildlife.

The Save Penwith Moors group said it had resulted in more fences being erected. Occasional confrontations with grazing animals have also occurred.

Natural England said the scheme helped endangered species flourish

Conservationists said grazing helped protect the natural habitat because it controlled undergrowth, which encouraged insects, which, in turn, helped feed other birds and animals.

However, walkers said that allowing animals more grazing land resulted in the building of obstacles on moors that had been open for generations.

Moor users said there had been confrontations with animals

Ian Cooke, of the Save Penwith Moors group, said: "In the last year, the Natural England project has erected cattle grids and gates at 10 access points. It's just not acceptable.

"There are far fewer people walking these areas than there were two years ago."

More at BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/8311250.stm