Management of butterfly habitat in north west Scotland: the effects of five years of cattle grazing

摘要

Cattle grazing and forestry is being used to maintain and create habitat for Chequered Skipper and Pearl-bordered Fritillary in a butterfly reserve containing woodland, grassland and heathland, in north-west Scotland. The success of this management isbeing assessed through vegetation and butterfly monitoring. The paper describes results from the first five years of monitoring changes in vegetation within the various habitats of the reserve, following the removal of sheep and commencement of a summercattle grazing regime. Although the density of nectar source plants and tree regeneration have increased, there are some concerns about tree seedling density impacting on butterfly larval habitat in the future.