We have chosen Red Devon cattle, which have previously grazed National Trust sites in Purbeck, because we know that they are calm and docile creatures. You may spot a distant cow if you are walking through the dunes or along the Northern Boundary footpath.
If you do see the cattle, please do not approach or disturb them and keep your dogs at a safe distance. Taking all your litter home also keeps our cows safe and our dunes beautiful.
Why does this need to happen?
Over the past 100 years, Studland’s sand dunes have become over-vegetated and have declined in biodiversity.
Climate change, air pollution and previous overprotective management have all accelerated plant growth and seen our sand dunes slowly turn into heathland and woodland.
In the 1930s about 30 per cent of Studland Bay was bare sand, now it is just two per cent.
The aim of Dynamic Dunescapes is to restore 15 per cent of the land back to bare sand.
Doing so will restore the mosaic landscape of our dunes and hopefully see an increase in rare wildlife that depends on sandy habitats. Species that will benefit from the project include sand lizards, meadow pipits and heath tiger beetles.