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Butterfly havens
The marsh fritillary butterfly is disappearing across Europe. It relies on wetland that’s traditionally grazed with cattle, and for many farmers that just isn’t profitable. The necessary positive management isn’t likely to happen unless the farmer gets cash from the SRDP to cover the extra costs for grazing suitable wetland and bog sites. David Colthart farms some eight hectares (20 acres) of grassland that’s rich in species at Appin in Argyll, and he was one of the first to benefit from rural priorities funding. He doesn’t have an SSSI, but he found that if he made sure bits of his farm were right for this scarce species then he would get priority points. David and other farmers with land that’s suitable for marsh fritillaries have been advised by SNH- funded Butterfly Conservation expert Tom Prescott. Tom has found that initial grumbles about how complex SRDP seems have largely given way to growing enthusiasm for what can be done. The payments help, of course – managing grassland for wildlife attracts £111 per hectare a year.
Beef relief
Many of the sites across Scotland that are valuable for wildlife need to have a certain level of livestock grazing on them. Cattle and sheep numbers can be fine-tuned to get it right for conservation, but the farmer may not have the facilities required to support the levels of livestock. Blackpark is a small beef unit near Castle Douglas in
Galloway. Thick vegetation is crowding out some of the native animals and plants found there (such as water rail and spignel) because the level of summer grazing isn’t high enough. The owner, Lynda McQueen, needed somewhere to put the livestock in winter as so much of the land is flooded. SRDP covered the cost of a new shed and agreed an annual sum in return for grazing the site.
www.snh.gov.uk
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...initial grumbles about how complex SRDP seems have largely given way to growing enthusiasm for what can be done.’
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