Pioneering pig grazing scheme set to boost wildlife habitats

Derbyshire Wildlife Trust has launched a pioneering wild pig grazing scheme at one of its nature reserves.

Supported by £21,000 from the Tarmac Landfill Communities Fund, the pilot scheme at Lea Wood Nature Reserve will explore how pigs can act as a proxy for missing native species such as wild boar, helping to restore natural processes that once played a key role in shaping diverse habitats and ecosystems.

To begin, three pigs will be introduced into a 1.4-acre fenced area of the four-acre meadow at Lea Wood.

The pigs are expected on site following the completion of fencing and shelter works this month.

Lea Wood is already known for its species-rich meadow habitat, ancient woodland and carpets of bluebells in the spring.

But the trust believes there is still significant opportunity to create a richer ecosystem for the species that depend on it.

The pigs’ activity, including rootling, digging, snuffling and wallowing, will turn over soil and break down dense patches of bracken and grasses to create a patchwork of microhabitats that support a wider range of plants and wildlife.

More delicate or dormant plant species will be given the sunlight and space they need to thrive.

These then attract pollinators like butterflies and bees and create habitats for a variety of insects, which in turn attract birds and small mammals.

Slow worms and grass snakes, both recorded on the site, will also benefit from the creation of more open basking areas.

The fenced area has been carefully designed to ensure there is no impact on existing public footpaths, while remaining highly visible to allow visitors to observe the pigs at work while continuing to enjoy the site.

Amy Bennett, living landscape officer at Derbyshire Wildlife trust, said: “Grazing animals have always played an important role in shaping our landscapes, and this pilot at Lea Wood gives us an exciting opportunity to explore how pigs can help restore those natural processes.

“We’re showing how pigs can act as a proxy species, using their natural behaviours such as rootling, digging and wallowing to break up dense bracken and create more varied habitat structure for wildlife.

“The long-term ambition is to develop a pig grazing strategy across our sites in the Derwent Valley.

“By reintroducing pigs as a missing species, we hope to demonstrate what is possible when natural processes are allowed to shape the landscape once again.”