A day out on Aylesbeare

In order to catch up with Tom and Damian from RSPB Aylesbeare (who came out to Dartmoor to help out on the Red Backed Shrike project), I spent today with them as they went round the reserve sites feeding the stock.  Putting (Galloway) cattle and local horse breeds out is an environmentally appropriate way to manage heathland.  This reduces the need to remove scrub during the winter using powered machinery and burning, and therefore cuts down on emissions and the impact on the ground (contrary to some misinformed local opinions).  Now, if you’re going to ask me about whether some of these areas should be heathland, well, that’s a debate for another day.