Sheep shepherd hillside nature growth

Sheep are shepherding support to boost wildflowers and wildlife on a Denbighshire hillside.

The Clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape has introduced a flock of sheep to Prestatyn Hillside to help maintain the variety of wildflowers and wildlife that gives the site its special character.

The hillside is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for its nationally important limestone grasslands.

Using grazing animals reduces the need to mechanically manage sites using heavy plant and machinery and brings the land into a more sustainable management regime.

Fencing and water were installed in January 2022 with all material carried on site by hand due to the limited vehicle access. Kissing gates were also put in to ensure walker access was not limited along Offa’s Dyke Path.

The sheep are on site to support the high number of wildflowers and wildlife on the site. They achieve this by removing the dense rank vegetation and opening up the sward in the autumn/winter which will allow smaller flowering plants to flourish come the summer, providing a haven for butterflies and other wildlife.

The animals ae put out for short periods of time between October and March and members of the public are asked to keep their dogs on leads when walking through the areas that the sheep are grazing.

During February, sheep will be grazing an area on the Hillside that has not been fenced so a shepherd will be utilised to keep the area in favourable condition.

Councillor Alan James, Lead Member for Local Development and Planning said: “This another great example of ‘nature recovery’ that both the The Clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape and Denbighshire County Council’s Countryside Service as a whole, are involved in.”