SAC Research

At both of PASTORAL’s previous workshops it became apparent that there is a need to explain in simple terms some of the complex aspects of the ecological interactions between grazing livestock (and associated pastoral management practices) and nature.

If we can do this, we will have a much better chance of convincing others of the importance of pastoralism, particularly those involved in the development and implementation of policy. Exploring these interactions formed the main purpose of PASTORAL’s third workshop held June 29 to July 1 on Islay, an island located off the west coast of Scotland.

PASTORAL Information Note 3 (The Nature of Pastoralism) provides an explanation of why certain livestock production systems are important for nature.

Workshop Presentations

• Grassland diversity under dry conditions: the role of pastoralism (Begona Peco and Juan Malo)
• Dispersal of plants and animals with special reference to sheep (Benjamin Hill) 
• The importance of domestic livestock carcasses for scavenging invertebrates (Oscar Vorst)
• Habitat fragmentation and the metapopulation concept (Diana Prins) (Islay specific summary)

Examples of current trends in pastoral systems

• Portugal (Luis Pinto de Andrade)
• Norway (Gunilla Olsson)
• Poland (Anna Liro)
• Ireland (Brendan Dunford)
• Pastoralism and its value for conserving the cultural heritage in Scotland (Jonathan Wordsworth)

To obtain a copy of any of these papers, please contact Davy McCracken.

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