An ambitious conservation project aimed at restoring one of the Cotswolds’ most threatened habitats has been completed at Barber Wood, where cattle have been introduced to help boost biodiversity across the popular public site.
The initiative, led by the Woodland Trust in partnership with the National Trust, has been made possible through a £35,000 grant from Enovert Community Trust (ECT), awarded via the Landfill Communities Fund. The funding has enabled significant preparatory work ahead of the arrival of grazing animals, marking a new phase in the management of the woodland and surrounding grassland.
Barber Wood, located within the Cotswold National Landscape, is open to visitors year-round and has become a well-used destination for walkers and dog owners. The site features a varied mosaic of habitats, including young broadleaf woodland, pasture and areas of rare limestone grassland — a habitat now covering just 1.5 per cent of the Cotswolds, compared with around 40 per cent in 1930.
Conservationists say the limestone grassland at the site has been declining as dense, coarse grasses outcompete native plants and wildflowers. The introduction of grazing cattle is intended to reverse this trend by naturally controlling vegetation and creating conditions in which a wider range of species can thrive.
Danielle Semple, Engagement and Communications Officer at the Woodland Trust, said the project represents an important step in restoring the ecological balance of the area.
“The limestone grassland at Barber Wood has the potential to support a wider range of wildlife, including many local and nationally rare species, but the quality of this habitat is rapidly deteriorating due to thick, tussocky thatch grass outcompeting native herbs and wildflowers,” she said.
“We want to provide a habitat where plants like frog orchids can thrive, as well as supporting butterflies such as the duke of burgundy, birds such as lesser spotted woodpecker and mammals such as dormice. The most effective way to do this is to introduce cattle grazing to the area and we are very grateful to ECT for the grant that has enabled us to do this.”
The grant has funded the reconfiguration of deer and stock fencing, installation of drinking facilities, selective thinning of young woodland and a public engagement campaign to inform visitors about the changes.
A herd of eight belted Galloway cattle from the National Trust has now been introduced to the site. The hardy breed is well suited to conservation grazing, helping to control invasive grasses while creating varied vegetation structures that benefit insects, birds and small mammals.
Lisa Edinborough, Stroud Landscape Project Manager for the National Trust, said the grazing scheme would deliver long-term ecological benefits.
“We’re delighted to support the Woodland Trust by using our herd to graze the site,” she said. “The cows will control coarse and invasive grasses, allowing wildflowers, butterflies and other insects to thrive. They will also browse and may knock down some of the younger trees to open up the canopy within wooded areas, enabling flora and fauna to flourish.”
She added that the work would contribute to the National Trust’s wider ambition to improve habitat connectivity across the Stroud Landscape Project area.
The cattle, which will remain on site throughout the year, are fitted with NoFence collars that allow conservation teams to guide grazing patterns without permanent fencing. Visitors can scan a QR code displayed on a new orientation board to see where the animals are grazing at any time.
Angela Haymonds, Trust Manager of Enovert Community Trust, said the organisation was proud to support what she described as an innovative approach to conservation.
“The Trust is so pleased to have been able to support this project, which will help improve the quality and condition of the grassland and the structural diversity of the woodland,” she said.
Barber Wood lies just under seven miles from Wingmoor Farm Landfill Site and approximately 7.5 miles from Hempstead Landfill Site, making it eligible for support through the Landfill Communities Fund. Visitors can access the site free of charge throughout the year.