In summer our search for wannabe cowboys and cowgirls on Studland attracted national and international attention, and applications from as far a field as the ranches of South America to the New Forest in Hampshire.
'I heard it on the radio and thought it sounded crazy!’ admitted Lisa. 'Then the more I heard, the more I thought hang on, that really sounds like me.'
'I have spent my whole life playing with animals, horses, cows, sheep, dogs; anything with one eye or three legs was always welcome at my home. I think it was pet lambs in the kitchen, sleeping in the dog bed, which was the last straw for my mother.'
Lisa Hawthornthwaite, aged 30, moved to Dorset eight years ago from Lancashire where she completed agricultural college. She has a clear love of the outdoors in her blood, a strong background in livestock farming and is also a keen horse-rider.
'While it wasn’t vital that the new person should ride, it’ll be a huge benefit,' said David Hodd, Countryside Manager. 'We’re using a herd to sensitively graze the heathland, so if we can also reduce the use of vehicles that will be an obvious help. It also means that anywhere the cows can go on four legs – Lisa can follow on her horse.'
Lisa’s ‘company horse’ is Ossie (pronounced Ozzie), a five year old Highland pony.
'Our second ride out was on the same day as the army was blowing up bombs found from the war on Studland beach; the ground shook and Ossie's attitude was 'what bomb!' I couldn't believe it,' said Lisa.
'Highland ponies are fantastic working animals and he just takes the world in his stride, I would hate to say it but he is like a giant Shetland pony - so cheeky, a little bit stubborn but very loveable.'
Lisa and Ossie will be moving a herd of Red Devon cattle around the heath throughout the year, in all weathers. The conservation grazing is a vital way of preserving the diversity of plant life and wildlife found on Purbeck – a 10km stretch of which boasts more plant species than any other part of the UK.
Cattle prevent the heathland from becoming overgrown with trees. Without grazing animals, the heath would eventually lose most of its rare wildlife, and become a more mundane birch, willow and pine woodland.
Lisa’s appointment helps revive a tradition which died out on the heath more than two hundred years ago:
'This is an exciting project to trial in the UK,' said David. 'The practice still exists in Eastern Europe, and indeed in parts of Holland. We want to see whether this can be successfully replicated here, which will allow the internationally important Nature Reserve at Studland to get the on-going care it needs.'
'Trialling grazing methods like this is very much what the National Nature Reserves were created for. They were intended to be outdoor laboratories for experimenting with conservation management techniques to see what works best to protect and encourage our wildlife and nature.'
'The advantage of this approach is that as well as increasing grazing, there’ll be someone with the animals at all times, so if anyone has questions about the animals or Studland generally there is someone on hand to help.'
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