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Conservation Grazing at Conford Moor 

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It was with great excitement that at the end of May 2023, three Longhorn cattle were released onto Conford Moor,  seeing the return of conservation grazing to the site for the first time in around 70 years.

Conford Moor is made up of areas of fen, wet heathland, acid grassland and stands of ancient alder carr. Due to the hydrology and geology of the land and its historic management, it is a site of great ecological interest.

Up until the 1950s, the area was grazed and was home to many rare plants, and wildlife including the now endangered marsh fritillary butterfly. Since cessation of grazing, the site has dried out due to the invasion of scrub and trees, leading to loss of habitat and a decline in species.

The cattle on Conford are contained by temporary electric fencing and will be moved between grazing compartments on a rotational basis. They will be present on the Common for approximately six months of the year between spring and autumn and their numbers will never exceed four.

The grazing will ensure that areas that have been cleared already remain open, and will encourage the return of a diverse         range of species that were last recorded in the 1982 Biological Report, steered by the extensive knowledge of the late          Dr Francis Rose, who lived locally in Liss and was widely regarded as the greatest British field botanist of our time.

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During 2024 a Botanical survey was carried out by members of the Alton Natural History Society with the objective to ascertain the impact of grazing on the plant assemblages at Conford Moor by means of a rigorous quadrat survey before grazing commences, followed by a repeat survey in a subsequent year.

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N.B. Dog owners must keep their dogs under control, and not allow them to enter the enclosures where the cows are.