Follow the Herd: Sponsor a Cow Scheme

The Trust’s cattle are grazing life back into our nature reserves.

Careful grazing is a critical part of grassland management, creating the right conditions for wildlife to flourish by keeping down coarse vegetation, which would overwhelm rarer more delicate plants.  The Trust manages a variety of important grassland sites including heathland and wild flower rich meadows.

• Leicestershire and Rutland were once renowned for their large areas of wild flower rich meadows.  Little of this habitat now remains. 97% was destroyed between 1930 and 1984 and the area remaining has continued to decline in the subsequent 20 years.

• Heathland was once widespread in north-east and west Leicestershire and east Rutland, but following land use changes in the 19th century it has become almost entirely confined to Charnwood. Heathland contains a high proportion of Leicestershire Red Data Book species, which is a reflection of the rarity and importance of this habitat locally.
• Sponsoring a cow will help the Trust manage these important habitats

How Your Sponsorship Helps
The Trust has two herds of rare breed cattle – Shetlands and Longhorns.  The Shetland cattle usually graze Lea Meadows and Herbert’s Meadow (Ulverscroft) during the Spring and Summer.  During the Winter they graze parts of Cossington Meadows or return to the farm at Charnwood Lodge.  The grazing plan has to be flexible as some years we cut the meadows for hay rather than graze them.
The Longhorn cattle usually graze the heathland at Ulverscroft and the Warren Hills at Charnwood Lodge during the Spring and Summer.  During the Winter they return to the farm at Charnwood Lodge.

Your sponsorship helps us care for the cattle, including:

• Stock tending by an experienced farmer/stockman to ensure they are fit and well
• Medical care and preventative treatments such as worming
• Transport between nature reserves
• Feed and winter housing, when required
• Repairs to fencing and stock handling facilities to keep the cattle safe

Becoming a Sponsor
To become a sponsor for a year simply download or print the attached sponsorship form PDF file.  Once you have chosen which cow you would like to sponsor and then fill in and return the form.  Alternatively you can contact Neil Pilcher at the office for further details.

As a sponsor you will receive a welcome pack, which includes:

• A mini beanie cow keyring
• A sponsorship certificate for your cow
• Twice yearly update about the grazing project
• An invitation to meet the cattle at one of our nature reserves