Ainsdale sand dunes cows: Why are they appearing on Sefton coast and where did they come from?

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com 
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
It may be a strange sight but the cows help bring balance to “one of Britain’s most important areas for nature conservation”.

Commuters on the Coastal Road from Ainsdale to Southport may have been left a bit perplexed at the strange sight of cows appearing among the sand dunes in recent weeks.

The Sefton dunes have become home to some special visitors as it begins the transformation into a grazing area for rare-breed cows and sheep this winter.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Every year, animals are brought to the local nature reserves in Ainsdale by Sefton Council to help control vegetation growth and encourage diverse plant species to grow.

The varied plants help rare species in the dunes such as natterjack toads, sand lizards and Northern dune tiger beetles to thrive.

Which animals will be arriving in Ainsdale?

Belted Galloway cow on Ainsdale’s sand dunes. Image: John Dempsey Belted Galloway cow on Ainsdale’s sand dunes. Image: John Dempsey
Belted Galloway cow on Ainsdale’s sand dunes. Image: John Dempsey | Image: John Dempsey

Herdwick sheep from Cumbria and Belted Galloway cattle from neighbouring Lancashire are regularly moved on to the reserve.

The animals will graze there until early spring 2023.

Green Sefton is urging people to act responsibly if they spot the grazing animals and dog walkers are reminded that pets should be kept on a lead within the fenced areas.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Why do we need cows in the sand dunes?

Herdwick sheep on Ainsdale reserve. Image: John Dempsey Herdwick sheep on Ainsdale reserve. Image: John Dempsey
Herdwick sheep on Ainsdale reserve. Image: John Dempsey | Image: John Dempsey

Gordon White, Countryside Officer for Green Sefton, said:“These grazing animals are an essential tool in the management of Sefton’s scientifically important sand dunes.

“Not only do they help us to improve the condition of the sand dune habitats, but they really help to optimise the potential of Sefton’s important natural assets.”

Councillor Ian Moncur, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, said: “Sefton’s coastline is one of Britain’s most important areas for nature conservation and has the highest level of protection under UK law as a Site of Special Scientific Interest for its flora and fauna.

“Ongoing initiatives like this really help to enhance these important coastal ecological systems and also ensures that we are playing our part in mitigating the impact of climate change on our coast.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad
Green Sefton officers managing a controlled burn of scrub.Green Sefton officers managing a controlled burn of scrub.
Green Sefton officers managing a controlled burn of scrub. | Sefton Council

Other conservation work on Sefton’s sand dunes

Areas of scrub are cut down throughout the winter by Green Sefton rangers, with the help of volunteer groups. The stumps are then removed or burned in a controlled environment, only when weather conditions permit.

The Dynamic Dunescapes programme also continues to tackle areas of invasive non-native species at the Sefton coast, such as Japanese Rose, Japanese Knotweed and Sea Buckthorn.

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.

Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice