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Dave to steer the Conservation Herd

Dave to steer the Conservation Herd

Monday 12 October 2020

Dave to steer the Conservation Herd

Monday 12 October 2020


The ability to reverse a Land Rover with a trailer full of steers is just one of the skills the Conservation Herd's new manager is learning to master.

Dave Bartram has a long history of volunteering with environmental groups and has assisted with the Guernsey Conservation Volunteers for the last 23 years.

In the past six years under the management of Julia Henney - now the States' Biodiversity Education Officer - the herd's grazing has encouraged the spread of rare flowers such as Deptford pink and musk thistle, and rare butterflies such as the brown argus.

It has also supported populations of bee orchids and pyramidal orchids and Mr Bartram hopes this will continue.

conservation_herd_steers.jpeg

Pictured: The Herd, which is owned by La Société Guernesiaise, can be found in different parts of the Island and are currently grazing a wet meadow off Gele Road, Castel.

Coming from a finance background, Mr Bartram has experience of managing people and also of co-ordinating volunteers.

One of the biggest learning curves is applying those management principles to large animals.

"I am looking forward to the challenge and I am already beginning to master the ability to reverse a Landover with a trailer full of steers," he quipped. 

Pictured top: Dave Bartram is the Conservation Herd's new manager.

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