Richmond Park is one of the country's best Nature Reserves, due in part to the acres of unimproved acid grassland. However, the quality of this grassland has declined since grazing cattle were removed in the early part of the last century.

The Fallow and Roe deer have prevented the Park turning into dense woodland since its enclosure in 1637. The problem is they prefer to browse woody vegetation, eating mainly leaves and young trees. When forced to, they eat grass by snipping at it, making the sward denser. Over time, the Park has seen a decline in the abundance of rare flowers such as Harebells. The grassland is now lacking to such a degree that Natural England, the Government agency responsible for wildlife, is supporting an initiative to improve the situation.

The answer to this conservation conundrum is grass-munching cows. By preference cows graze grassy tussocks and pull at their dinner, creating a small bare patch and opportunities for a variety of species to move in. Traditional beef breeds such as the English Longhorn are ideal as they have a palate suitable to unimproved meadows.

They will be borrowed from one of the many other conservation grazing projects and will therefore be used to life in a public open space. Animal welfare will of course take priority and the project will require careful management. The Royal Parks Agency is also keen to gauge the ecological changes, as well as the public's reaction. The cows are due to arrive to either this winter or the following spring and will be enclosed in a trial area on just 4 of the Park's 1000 hectares.

Bruce Sparrow, The Royal Parks
Tel: 07970 660132 Email: bsparrow@royalparks.gsi.gov.uk

1. The Royal Parks is an executive agency of the DCMS. The parks are Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, St James's Park and Green Park, The Regent's Park with Primrose Hill, Richmond Park, Bushy Park and Greenwich Park. Millions of Londoners and tourists visit the eight Royal Parks for free each year. The 5,000 acres of carefully conserved historic parkland provide unparalleled opportunities for enjoyment, exploration and healthy living in the heart of the capital.

2. NB: the accompanying photo is copyright Dr Nigel Reeve

Photograph: Longhorn Cattle image authored by Nigel Reeve
Use: Press release (The Royal Parks)
Date: 2 July 2007
Fee: Fee waived by prior agreement

CONDITIONS OF LOAN OF ELECTRONIC IMAGES

1. THE LOAN IS FOR SINGLE USE. No use whatsoever other than the above project may be made of these pictures without the author's prior consent. Reproduction rights are not transferable. Copyright remains with the author and permission for reproduction is for the agreed use only. Images supplied on, or transferred to, electronic media must not be copied or distributed, including on the Internet, unless this is to a third party agreed with the photographer (e.g. as part of a press release). Under those circumstances please forward these conditions with any electronic version of the image.

2. ACCURACY OF CAPTION. Although every care has been taken to identify and caption images correctly, we do not accept liability for any loss that you or a third party might incur as a result of a mistake in identifying or captioning a picture.

2b. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF AUTHOR. When published, there should be acknowledgements of the author(s) of images used. Dr Nigel Reeve

3. Richmond Park was enclosed as a Royal Deer Park by Charles I in 1637. Its boundary walls enclose almost 1000 hectares (2500 acres) of rolling countryside composed of dry acid grassland, bogs, broad swathes of bracken, prehistoric mounds, mature woodlands and ancient pollarded oaks. There are twenty-three ponds, the largest being the Pen Ponds in the centre of the Park. Together with the Beverly Brook and smaller streams and ditches, they make up 15 hectares of water (about 40 acres). Designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest in 1992 and a National Nature Reserve in 2000, this haven for wildlife and peaceful recreation exists only ten miles from the heart of London.