LUC ‘Landscapes without Livestock’ report backed by MP
We’re pleased to see our report highlighting the role livestock plays in maintaining the English countryside has been backed by the Liberal Democrat agriculture spokesman.
The report analysed the potential impact on some of England’s most cherished landscapes if beef cattle herds and sheep flocks decline or disappear.
Andrew George MP lauded the report at EBLEX’s (the organisation for beef and lamb levy payers in England) week-long ‘Landscapes without Livestock’ exhibition: “Generally humans don't shape topography. However, farmers have played a critical role as custodians of the countryside. We’ve taken for granted farming’s beneficial impact; particularly livestock grazing animals in some of the most commercially marginal land on these islands, its contribution to conservation and biodiversity.”
LUC was commissioned by EBLEX for the report. It was compiled with input from farmers, ecologists, landscape specialists and experts from EBLEX. We identified sites typically grazed by beef cattle and sheep and in which the livestock help maintain the distinctive character. We then produced photomontages visualising the sites at year three, year 10 and year 30 to illustrate the visual impacts of the changes if livestock were reduced or removed altogether. Narratives for each landscape also set out the ‘story’ of future change shown graphically by the photomontages.
The full report is available here
