Rare cows part of estate's rewilding project

Rare White Park cattle have joined the Castle Howard Estate's conservation project near Malton, North Yorkshire. This marks a 30-year rewilding initiative called the Bog Hall Habitat Bank. The herd's introduction signifies a significant step in creating a diverse habitat structure through their grazing activities. Guy Thallon, head of natural environment at Castle Howard, expressed enthusiasm for the project, which also plans to introduce beavers in autumn.

To prepare for their arrival, nearly three miles of fencing was erected, along with badger tunnels and otter passes to ensure safe wildlife passages. Volunteers have been working diligently to restore meadows, plant willows, and create ponds and leaky dams. The White Park cattle, considered one of the oldest native British cattle breeds, are well-suited for outdoor conservation grazing in wetlands.

This rewilding project, a collaboration with Environment Bank, aims to restore 440 acres of agricultural land into a thriving habitat for nature, designated as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation within the Howardian Hills National Landscape. Local schoolchildren even designed wildlife signage for the fencing project, giving them a firsthand experience of nature restoration in action.