Sheep create 2 ecological problems

1) they suppress ecological succession at a few inches from the ground (at at the ground if hard grazed)

2) they strip away ecological diversity over time if left in place

A sheep farmer interested in biodiversity has to grapple with this

1) can be addressed by shifting from ‘set stocking’ to longer break rotations / particularly if in species rich permanent pastures

So the fields are high in grass and wildflower diversity - and have recovery times...

2) can be solved but requires a little engineering of farms to create other land parcels that can have restricted or different grazing patterns (or no grazing)

Traditional farms with hedgerows and some new areas created from the least productive land areas can do wonders

So that’s what we are trying to do - the effects can be great for biodiversity - and create massively more biomass

Sadly this was turned in to a culture war in which ‘sheep’ became a trigger

It doesn’t have to be like this