Rewilding Europe’s Pure Grazing Facility works to scale up pure grazing by wild and semi-wild herbivores in European landscapes. The primary translocation organised by means of the ability has seen a bunch of Exmoor horses launched in Denmark’s Saksfjed Vildmark rewilding initiative.
Saksfjed Vildmark
Enhancing pure grazing throughout Europe
Pure grazing by massive, free-roaming wild and semi-wild herbivores resembling deer, European bison, and horses, is important to the well being and performance of many European landscapes. It might probably increase biodiversity by opening up landscapes and stopping encroachment by shrubs, scale back the danger of catastrophic fireplace, and improve carbon storage and local weather change resilience. Returning iconic grazers resembling European bison to landscapes can even help the expansion of nature-based economies, producing jobs and a brand new satisfaction in native nature.
In late 2023, Rewilding Europe launched its Pure Grazing Facility as a software for scaling up the adoption of pure grazing throughout Europe. The power works by connecting demand and provide of herbivores amongst organisations devoted to Rewilding Europe’s rewilding ideas.
A pioneering translocation
In thrilling information, the primary translocation of animals by means of the Pure Grazing Facility occurred within the late spring, with a herd of 23 Exmoor horses transferred to the Saksfjed Vildmark (“Saksfjed Wilderness”) – an formidable, Denmark-based rewilding initiative managed by Danish philanthropic organisation the Hempel Basis. The horses have been offered by Grazelands Rewilding (previously the Taurus Basis), a Dutch organisation working to boost pure grazing within the Netherlands and throughout Europe. To complement these animals, Rewilding Europe donated an extra 17 horses that have been dwelling on the Kempen-Broek rewilding initiative.
The 40 horses, which have been launched into two massive enclosures of 300 and 450 hectares at Saksfjed, have acclimatised nicely to their new residence. Within the 450-hectare enclosure they joined an current herd of 10 Exmoor horses, with three foals already born to this group since their arrival. The horses share their enclosures with a complete of round 150 Galloway cattle.
Saksfjed Vildmark
In direction of a wilder panorama
The Saksfjed Vildmark initiative, which joined Rewilding Europe’s European Rewilding Community earlier this yr, is situated on the southern tip of the Danish island of Lolland. The 800-hectare website, a coastal space comprising meadows, wetlands and woodlands, was largely used for agriculture prior to now. Beginning in January 2023, the Hempel Basis has been working to actively rewild nature right here, primarily based on the restoration of pure processes that’s aligned with ecological science and sensible expertise.
Shifting forwards, Saksfjed Vildmark will likely be allowed to develop right into a wilder space of grassland with scattered vegetation, open forests, and wetlands – all grazed by bovines and horses. The greater than 200 horses and bovines that at the moment are on the website have already had a considerably optimistic influence on the panorama, enhancing the range of each habitats and wildlife.
“Quite a few sand pits have been created within the enclosures by the animals by means of their digging and scraping and rolling round, which has uncovered plenty of sand,” says Thor Hjarsen, who’s head of Saksfjed Wilderness as a senior biologist with the Hempel Basis. “That is good for the germination of recent wildflowers, and has additionally generated alternatives for soil-dwelling bugs. We’ve recognized plenty of new bee and beetle species, for instance.
“The horses and bovines have additionally helped to open up the forested areas on the location, which have been beforehand very dense. This may enable flowering vegetation to develop, benefitting bugs resembling butterflies. We count on the useful influence of the animals to extend transferring into subsequent yr.”
Saksfjed Vildmark
Saksfjed Vildmark
Constructing engagement
Complementing its deal with sensible rewilding, the Saksfjed Vildmark initiative can also be prioritising individuals and engagement. The rewilding workforce are working to facilitate studying, analysis, communication, and the event of greatest observe to encourage different stakeholders and landowners to rewild for biodiversity and local weather, in Denmark and past.
“The horses have actually helped on this regard,” says Thor Hjarsen. “There’s public entry to the location through 15 gates and the animals have attracted rising numbers of holiday makers. As well as, now we have organised widespread guided walks with native communities, as a part of our outreach efforts on the horses and rewilding usually.
“We’ve additionally skilled plenty of curiosity from scientists and college students, with numerous survey plots and transects arrange for monitoring biodiversity. This displays the Hempel Basis’s ambition to advertise rewilding greatest observe and help the scaling up of rewilding.”
Saksfjed Vildmark
Allow us to facilitate your wants
Anybody concerned in sensible rewilding that employs pure grazing can join with the Pure Grazing Facility – both as a possible provider or a possible recipient of herbivores. All organisations will likely be fastidiously vetted to make sure their efforts align with rewilding ideas.
“The set-up of the Pure Grazing Facility made it simple to make use of and really efficient,” says Thor Hjarsen. “The entire translocation course of was extremely environment friendly, and we acquired wholesome and handsome animals from Grazelands Rewilding, so we’re very completely satisfied.”
“That is simply the beginning of our collaboration with the Hempel Basis,” provides Ronald Goderie, Director of Grazelands Rewilding. “At Grazelands Rewilding we’re dedicated to scaling up pure grazing in European landscapes. I look ahead to organising extra herbivore translocations to European rewilding initiatives by means of the Pure Grazing Facility.”
