Nearly Wild
@nearlywild.bsky.social
Advocating Global Ecosystem Renewal
Owner; Nearly Wild Ecological Landscapes
Wildlife Habitat Creation, Land and Water Restoration, Rewilding, Permaculture, Megafauna, Woodpasture, Nature Friendly Farming
Owner; Nearly Wild Ecological Landscapes
Wildlife Habitat Creation, Land and Water Restoration, Rewilding, Permaculture, Megafauna, Woodpasture, Nature Friendly Farming
It is refreshing to see the measures being implemented in these places; including natural grazing, natural regeneration, leaving deadwood and carcasses, removing fences and dams, and connecting wild areas. I hope this trend progresses throughout Europe and beyond globally.
November 28, 2025 at 5:38 AM
It is refreshing to see the measures being implemented in these places; including natural grazing, natural regeneration, leaving deadwood and carcasses, removing fences and dams, and connecting wild areas. I hope this trend progresses throughout Europe and beyond globally.
My intention is not to diminish the importance of wild herbivores, (which desperately need our support), but to highlight potential strengths of cattle in assisting the recovery of mega-herbivore influenced landscapes. They can do a fine job of it.
Large herbivores are linked to higher herbaceous plant diversity and functional redundancy across spatial scales
This study shows that large herbivores consistently increase herbaceous plant richness and functional redundancy across spatial scales (alpha and gamma diversity), with the strongest effects observed...
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 27, 2025 at 5:26 AM
My intention is not to diminish the importance of wild herbivores, (which desperately need our support), but to highlight potential strengths of cattle in assisting the recovery of mega-herbivore influenced landscapes. They can do a fine job of it.
herbivore communities, suggesting that herbivory intensity (e.g. herbivore visitation and biomass), is a more important driver of herbaceous plant communities than herbivore species richness."
Meaning: Cattle are just as effective at promoting vegetative diversity as varied wild herbivores. +
Meaning: Cattle are just as effective at promoting vegetative diversity as varied wild herbivores. +
November 27, 2025 at 5:26 AM
herbivore communities, suggesting that herbivory intensity (e.g. herbivore visitation and biomass), is a more important driver of herbaceous plant communities than herbivore species richness."
Meaning: Cattle are just as effective at promoting vegetative diversity as varied wild herbivores. +
Meaning: Cattle are just as effective at promoting vegetative diversity as varied wild herbivores. +
This was in a different paper but you should see this one Cat:
"Surprisingly, we did not find a positive relationship between herbivore species richness and plant diversity. This is consistent with Voysey et al. (2024) who found no strong differences in areas with cattle versus more complex, wild+
"Surprisingly, we did not find a positive relationship between herbivore species richness and plant diversity. This is consistent with Voysey et al. (2024) who found no strong differences in areas with cattle versus more complex, wild+
November 27, 2025 at 5:26 AM
This was in a different paper but you should see this one Cat:
"Surprisingly, we did not find a positive relationship between herbivore species richness and plant diversity. This is consistent with Voysey et al. (2024) who found no strong differences in areas with cattle versus more complex, wild+
"Surprisingly, we did not find a positive relationship between herbivore species richness and plant diversity. This is consistent with Voysey et al. (2024) who found no strong differences in areas with cattle versus more complex, wild+
more likely due to the migratory "on the move" tendencies of herbivores to constantly seek new forage. Not every place was under constant grazing pressure, some places got skipped for a couple of years before someone thought it looked good again.
Sam might have more to add whenever he shows up : )
Sam might have more to add whenever he shows up : )
November 26, 2025 at 4:59 PM
more likely due to the migratory "on the move" tendencies of herbivores to constantly seek new forage. Not every place was under constant grazing pressure, some places got skipped for a couple of years before someone thought it looked good again.
Sam might have more to add whenever he shows up : )
Sam might have more to add whenever he shows up : )
Not so much a dramatic crash on a yearly or even decadal timeline; reduction or increase was usually gradual unless there was a particularly extreme event. Major fluctuation happened over centuries or millennia with vegetation or climatic changes.
But also yes, some places were "well rested", +
But also yes, some places were "well rested", +
November 26, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Not so much a dramatic crash on a yearly or even decadal timeline; reduction or increase was usually gradual unless there was a particularly extreme event. Major fluctuation happened over centuries or millennia with vegetation or climatic changes.
But also yes, some places were "well rested", +
But also yes, some places were "well rested", +
Such a great project, I'm excited to see it grow.
Will you run drip irrigation?
Will you run drip irrigation?
November 26, 2025 at 5:37 AM
Such a great project, I'm excited to see it grow.
Will you run drip irrigation?
Will you run drip irrigation?
"The global loss of a large proportion of Late Pleistocene megafauna has severely impacted the structure and function of ecosystems today"
"Large mammal herbivores must in the past have played a much bigger role in ecosystems...and this has to be considered when studying ‘wild’ ecosystems"
"Large mammal herbivores must in the past have played a much bigger role in ecosystems...and this has to be considered when studying ‘wild’ ecosystems"
November 26, 2025 at 5:22 AM
"The global loss of a large proportion of Late Pleistocene megafauna has severely impacted the structure and function of ecosystems today"
"Large mammal herbivores must in the past have played a much bigger role in ecosystems...and this has to be considered when studying ‘wild’ ecosystems"
"Large mammal herbivores must in the past have played a much bigger role in ecosystems...and this has to be considered when studying ‘wild’ ecosystems"
Reposted by Nearly Wild
"Conservation Cowboy"
November 20, 2025 at 1:55 AM
"Conservation Cowboy"
"Conservation Cowboy"
November 20, 2025 at 1:55 AM
"Conservation Cowboy"
"Shepherd" is the English translation, perhaps "Conservation Cowboy" is a more appropriate term.
November 20, 2025 at 1:33 AM
"Shepherd" is the English translation, perhaps "Conservation Cowboy" is a more appropriate term.
"Conservation Shepherd" sounds like a cool job. I might have to look into a career change.
November 20, 2025 at 12:21 AM
"Conservation Shepherd" sounds like a cool job. I might have to look into a career change.