Cattle and Stones

close
nigelswift N
nigelswift Sep 18, 2014 19:28:00

I'd just like to say I don't think making the cattle v stones issue a Cornwall v England issue is good tactics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gATug9hwsL0
In fact, it smells like a hijacking.

Introducing the cattle isn't an exclusively Natural England idea anyway. Next to me is a common that the National Trust are determined to turn back to it's original iron age state and to this end it has fenced the whole thing, cut down hundreds of trees and introduced similar cattle at a cost, I should think, of several million. Personally, I think it has been a bad idea but perleease, blame the strategy, don't dress it up as something else.

T tjj
tjj Sep 18, 2014 20:12:41
Replying to nigelswift

Thanks for re-posting this Nigel, I said what I wanted to say on the locked thread. It always frustrating when threads get locked for little reason other than wanting to shut someone up. It worked anyway ... off to Cornwall on Saturday, will try not to upset any of the lovely Cornish people.

Edited: 19/9/14

L Lubin
Lubin Sep 19, 2014 11:32:19
Replying to nigelswift

nigelswift wrote:
I'd just like to say I don't think making the cattle v stones issue a Cornwall v England issue is good tactics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gATug9hwsL0
In fact, it smells like a hijacking.

Introducing the cattle isn't an exclusively Natural England idea anyway. Next to me is a common that the National Trust are determined to turn back to it's original iron age state and to this end it has fenced the whole thing, cut down hundreds of trees and introduced similar cattle at a cost, I should think, of several million. Personally, I think it has been a bad idea but perleease, blame the strategy, don't dress it up as something else.

I haven't see the video but being from the area , South West , I go to Cornwall walking and cycling at least once a week and cattle is definitely not the answer. They tried it along the Coastal Footpath to keep it clear and had to stop as they not only didn't eat the right vegetation but churned the ground up so much it was a mud bath. They have since put horses in to try that and it seems to be working much better as they eat the gorse and other stuff. I have photos of Dartmoor from the 60s and it looks completely different from now as the horse population has dwindled dramatically leaving the vegetation to grow.

O ocifant
ocifant Sep 29, 2014 11:13:42
Replying to nigelswift

I'll admit the 'nationalistic' side of things doesn't sit comfortably with me, and people here know of my love of Cornwall!

But they do have a point - 'outsiders' setting rules (and handing out cash to their landowner chums) without taking note of local concerns and experiences.