Grassland, hated by some vegans and rewilders, meat and not ‘natural’. Ancient grasslands are loved by botanists, entomologists, naturalists, conservations, hardy native cattle. Not by many farmers or government policy, not much love there.

Some see ancient grassland as unproductive or a place to plant trees on to achieve latest government policy numbers. Policy conflicts; plant trees, timber, climate, conserve biodiversity, improve farm production. Officially we all agree the few ancient grasslands left covering

tiny % is important, but despite biodiversity policy government does not know how much exists, has no map, and creates policies which put it under threat. Government has not protected all sites, nor has it funded monitoring to tell how good condition is.

Farming has converted most grassland from permanent to temporary, from wild grasses & herbs to a few species which respond to fertilisers and are productive, this was government policy, ‘take plough around farm’

Lots of reasons with rising population and increased affluence why production increased, subsidies kept food prices lower and provided farmers with a market designed to sustain farming. Over time income has declined on farm, and supermarkets have dominated. We all know this.

We can argue what should be done, how bad, good, inevitable things are, choice, forced change, pollution, so many things, that is not what I am talking about, it is not blame or what we should do.

I am just interested in sharing this

https://projectblue.blob.core.windows.net/media/Default/Beef%20&%20Lamb/RGCL%20Handbook%202020%205%20WEB.pdf

Consider reseeding if there is less than 50% sown species in the ley (ley = short term grass, reseeded after a few years)

Three species of grass, a hybrid, two species of clover.

Consider how pests like leather jackets can be controlled without chemicals

For a full reseed, spray the old sward using a product containing glyphosate

Dicot herbicide can keep herbs out of new grassland if clover not in mix, fertiliser will produce high productivity.

Nothing in this precludes mob grazing, strip grazing, set stock grazing, housed animals and silage. You could add a few deep rooted herbs such as chicory. You could have no ivermectin in dung a high insect biomass and good bat population in some systems. It can support wildlife.

It is intrinsically different to native grasslands, some of which have more native grasses and herbs but are still productive perhaps not very old farm grasslands, right through to incredibly ancient chalk grassland, wet mead, rhos, full of rare plants and insects.

It is these later grasslands, often lumpy and bumpy, often mix wet and dry, varying slopes and variable soils, ant hills, may flood, may have summer drought bare sand patches. These are where specialist plants and insects are found.

Productivity and fertility can be low, but let us not generalise some flood plain grasslands combine being species rich and be fertile. What they have in common is they are challenging economically and practically to farm.

Extensive grazing by cattle fills something of the role of the extinct native auroch. Sheep are not native but have grazed chalk grassland for 5000 years producing amazing biodiversity, in the uplands things are mixed, good locations scattered after a history of over grazing and

environmental degradation and woodland loss.

What is a fact we now have very few species rich grasslands. I would argue extensive grazing, eating less meat (perhaps) but meat from conservation sites will help save and restore species rich grassland.

Siren voices seek to disparage conservation grazing, some farmers, some vegans & animal rights activists, some rewilders. A mix of people with different motives, including claiming an intensive species poor grassland is good for conservation. I have mentioned that wildlife can

use intensive grassland, it is not lacking in ‘wildlife’ what it is not is an equivalent to rich complex biodiversity of extensive managed old grasslands, varied, diverse, complex.