Brighton's new Herdwick flocks need ‘lookerers’

6:30pm Friday 11th January 2013 in News

Herdiwck ship arrive at Wild Park in Brighton Herdiwck ship arrive at Wild Park in Brighton

Sheep have been called in to help preserve the wildlife of a South Downs park.

The Herdwick sheep arrived at Wild Park in Brighton on Wednesday, January 9.

Council staff hope their grazing will mean the downland meadows will remain a haven for wild flowers and butterflies.

The 20 sheep are among 600 currently being used in similar schemes around the city, at Sheepcote Valley, Beacon Hill in Rottingdean and Stanmer Park.

Countryside ranger David Larkin said: “The Downs were famous for their sheep, but sheep farming declined, with the loss of important habitat that wasn’t maintained by sheep grazing.

“At Wild Park it is the first time there have been sheep there for probably 100 years.”

Volunteer “lookerers” work on a rota to go and check that the sheep are all right.

The Herdwick breed is from the hill farms of Cumbria so are used to foraging in areas with sparse pasture.

To become a lookerer, visit www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/lookerers.

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Comments(10)

Indigatio says...
6:35pm Fri 11 Jan 13

Who has paid for all the fencing and other measures needed to keep the sheep in Wild Park and what was the total cost?

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Vigilia says...
8:08pm Fri 11 Jan 13

Indigatio wrote:
Who has paid for all the fencing and other measures needed to keep the sheep in Wild Park and what was the total cost?
Whatever the cost, it will pale into insignificance compared to the £1,000 a day we are paying to maintain travellers' habitats in the City. 19 Acres off Devils Dyke Road is to be fenced for the same purpose in the near future in a joint venture with the South Downs National Park that will help to protect the SDNP from Brighton and Hove City Council's obsession for making large areas of the national park available to their travellers.

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Nosfaratu says...
8:25pm Fri 11 Jan 13

How long do you think it will be before a gang decides 'this is easy meat'.

Why not put some at 'Rottingdean' Golf Club. Now the holes have been filled in it should be quit safe !

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Indigatio says...
9:01pm Fri 11 Jan 13

Vigilia wrote:
Indigatio wrote:
Who has paid for all the fencing and other measures needed to keep the sheep in Wild Park and what was the total cost?
Whatever the cost, it will pale into insignificance compared to the £1,000 a day we are paying to maintain travellers' habitats in the City. 19 Acres off Devils Dyke Road is to be fenced for the same purpose in the near future in a joint venture with the South Downs National Park that will help to protect the SDNP from Brighton and Hove City Council's obsession for making large areas of the national park available to their travellers.
As per Nosfaratu's post one does wonder how long it will be before their numbers start to decrease from the initial 20 that are being grazed there.

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Maxwell's Ghost says...
1:07am Sat 12 Jan 13

That's right council, you fanny about with sheep and filling in holes on a golf course and then go bleating to the Govt that you haven't got enough money.

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Roundbill says...
3:48am Sat 12 Jan 13

"Lookerers" is a really creepy word. It sounds as if it should have been the title to a sinister 1970's children's series? "The Lookerers" - euww! Sends a shiver down my spine...

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george smith says...
7:24am Sat 12 Jan 13

The council needs to tell how much the cost of the sheep is each week for the 620 sheep and the cost each time they move them. At Findon sheep fair there are foot troughs and hand wash, to stop spreading infections. There are animal welfare issues also involved, and you do not need sheep in a public park, as it is a park not a farm, it was an open space, now it is fenced off. It is all about egos and career development as it is now worse than when they first started the stupid project.

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MikeyA says...
9:01am Sat 12 Jan 13

Hove Lawns would be ideal - combining fresh lamb with the barbeque area...

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bumble88 says...
12:03am Sun 13 Jan 13

Talking of open spaces Tenantry Down one of our few remaining open areas is next to be fenced for sheep grazing. There has been no consultation on this.

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Maxwell's Ghost says...
10:07am Sun 13 Jan 13

Another vanity project.

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