Environmental teams working next to an important Chiltern main line railway tunnel are taking a novel approach in their efforts to restore a rare habitat – by deploying a flock of sheep.
The area of land, by Harbury Tunnel between Banbury and Leamington Spa, was subject to a large landslip in February 2015, causing major disruption and damaging the ground beside the railway line. The landslip also impacted a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), frequented by a variety of rare butterfly species.
Network Rail engineers have carried out extensive work to both restore the embankment, for safety and the habitat of the SSSI, by planting a seed mix of meadow grasses and wildflowers favoured by pollinating insects. However the steep location of the habitat makes it difficult and very expensive to use the mechanical mowing required to prevent tree growth, which encroaches on the butterflies' habitat.
To save money and find a more environmentally friendly plan to deal with the problem, Network Rail has teamed up with the Butterfly Conservation Trust and a local farmer to move a flock of sheep onto the land. They will spend the winter on the embankment, grazing down competitive grasses and weeds, to give the best possible chance for the pollinators to thrive again come the spring.
Simon Thatcher, assistant track safety engineer for Network Rail's Central route, said: “This site represented a tricky challenge for us because of its location and the unique ecology of the area.
"The devastation caused by the landslip created a large depletion in the available habitat, this work will help improve the lineside ecology and improve the SSSI. We’re really pleased that we’ve been able to come to this agreement and bring the sheep onto the Embankment.
“They will be a welcome addition for both local wildlife and passing passengers.” Mike Slater, chair of Butterfly Conservation Warwickshire Branch, said: "This is a fantastic project for butterflies and we are delighted to be involved.
“By managing this land in the right way, we have the opportunity to create the perfect habitat for five rare species of butterfly - Small Blue, Dark Green Fritillary, Grizzled Skipper, Dingy Skipper and Green Hairstreak. In order to make this project to work, Network Rail have used a special fencing which has not been used in this way before in the UK which is high enough and sturdy enough to keep sheep safely on site.
“We are very grateful for this innovative work and hope it will inspire more projects to help restore nature across the UK."
