Following our annual charity auction in May, August's blog gives an insight into Professor Rob Marrs' moorland management advisory to Knocklearn Farm.
On Friday 19th July, Professor Rob Marrs,
President of the Heather Trust, visited Knocklearn Farm, near Corsock in
Dumfriesshire to discuss its management with the owner Mr Andrew McConnel.
The
visit was donated as a Lot to the Heather Trust's annual Country Market and Sporting Sale.
It was a wet day
but spirits were high because the areas of rough grazing on the farm were deemed
to be well managed as a low-input/low output operation.
There was some
deer shooting and grazing for Belted Galloways - apt for a Galloway farm.
Rob
and Andrew traversed more or less the entire farm, either on foot or by ATV bike,
and Rob was amazed at the high quality of the vegetation, mostly wet grassland.
The species diversity and indeed the herbage biomass was high and appeared to be
hitting conservation targets.
All in all, a great day out. Only downside was
that the weather was too bad for photos.
