Conservation grazing in the 21st century: No Fence project at Dunscombe, near Sidmouth

The National Trust and a local grazier are working together to bring conservation grazing at Dunscombe, near Sidmouth in east Devon, into the 21st century - and it’s all thanks to GPS technology.

Unlike conventional methods of containing livestock that use fences and gates, the project will see virtual fences created and controlled through a mobile app. The app is linked via GPS satellite to electronic collars worn by the cows, which graze the National Trust land at Dunscombe.

The new virtual fences require no physical infrastructure and use a smart phone and GPS collars to monitor the health and location of the cows, 24 hours a day.

Lucy Buckingham, Area Ranger for the National Trust in east Devon, explains: ‘Historically the fields at Dunscombe have been grazed by cattle and Exmoor ponies, but the poor condition of the fencing has meant that this area is no longer stock proof and has not been grazed since 2019.

Using virtual fencing is an innovative way to reintroduce grazing into an area that is difficult to fence due to the steeply sloped nature of the terrain. The genius of the system is that if a cow wanders beyond the virtual boundary or shows signs of being unwell, the app will let us know and we can respond much quicker than we would normally have been able to.

We are very grateful to the RSPB for lending us the GPS collars and to our tenant grazier for working with us on this project.’

Conservation grazing like this is one of the tools being used to improve the grassland habitat at Dunscombe and on other National Trust land.

As the cows graze the scrub they create a range of height and variety in the plant life helping to generate a rich and sustainable environment providing habitat for pollinators, invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians, and birds. The cattle also have a role in helping plants colonise new areas by moving seeds around as they graze.

Lucy continues ‘Grazing is at the heart of our efforts to create a more dynamic landscape full of wildlife. Cows with GPS collars may seem nothing to do with conservation but are another step forward for nature in this area of Devon.’