No-Fence Collars Hampton Estate
Hampton estate applied for 16 No-Fence collars that would enable them to graze Puttenham common- this is in response to the ecological analysis and the management plan that FiPL funded, it highlighted that 80% of the heathland had been lost and that the grazing of cattle is essential to deliver the biodiversity benefits of the heathland.
The grazing of the cattle will provide the low-intensity, high frequency impact required to limit scrub encroachment and prevent the enrichment of the soils on which the habitat depends.
Fencing of the site is not possible due to Common Land bylaws, so the reintroduction of grazing is entirely dependent of the procurement and deployment of these collars. The collars are connected to an app which will also allow the farmer to track the cattle and ensure they are grazing in the right areas.
Project summary
| Applicant | Bill Biddell |
| FiPL grant awarded | ยฃ3,963.20 |
| Total project cost | ยฃ4,954.00 |
| Project start date | 16/02/2023 |
| Project end date | 20/07/2023 |
| Location | Seale |
Phase 2
Hampton Estate applied for ยฃ3,028 to purchase 12 additional collars to expand their No-Fence grazing initiative on Puttenham Common with their Sussex herd.
Grazing was reintroduced to the common in 2023 following aย thorough management plan assessment funded by FiPL, and it has since been highly successful in restoring heathland habitats and boosting biodiversity. The external ecologist overseeing the plan was impressed by the positive conservation outcomes and recommended increasing the number of cattle to further enhance these benefits.
The addition of 12 more cattle is expected to provide the necessary low-intensity, high-frequency grazing to control scrub encroachment and prevent soil enrichment, both essential for maintaining the habitatโs health and balance.ย The first set of collars were also funded by FiPL.
Project summary
| Total grant awarded: | ยฃ3,028.00 |
| Total cost of project: | ยฃ3,785.00 |
| Project start date: | 06/12/2024 |
| Project end date: | 28/02/2025 |
