High-tech collars help livestock restore Great Fen habitat

10/04/2025

State-of-the-art technology is helping grazing livestock create ideal habitats for wetland species.

The innovative approach is being used by The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire as part of the Amazing Grazing project at the Great Fen in Cambridgeshire. ,

The use of technology has helped the conservation team realise their vision of transforming former agricultural land into a complex natural landscape of grass, pools, and winding channels, which has now been completed thanks to a £60,712 grant from the FCC Communities Foundation.

Native breeds of cows and sheep, key to managing fen grasslands for promoting wildflower growth, are also vital for providing habitats for butterflies, dragonflies, and birds including lapwings and redshank. However, traditional static electric fences were no longer practical. Instead, remote GPS-connected cattle collars were purchased, eliminating the need for fencing and giving the conservation team greater flexibility over grazing.

The 'NoFence' collars emit a short, low-level pulse when the livestock approach a boundary, teaching them to recognise and avoid the 'virtual fence' line.

David Metcalfe, Senior Reserves Officer, said: "Although it’s known for its wide arable fields, the fenland landscape has been home to cows and sheep for generations. We always knew getting grazing animals into the emerging new wild wetland areas was going to be a challenge, so the NoFence collar technology has been fantastic."

Extra measures were also taken to ensure the welfare of the livestock, with new cattle management areas, ditches, and water supplies installed at New Decoy Farm.

Mr Metcalfe added: "With some extra work to ensure the animals have access to water and we can carry out vital vet checks, they are now roaming the landscape creating wildlife rich landscapes wherever they go. Carrying out the work they do in a wetland with agricultural machinery would be almost impossible – so we love having them on the Great Fen team."

Pictured below is one of the recipients of the new NoFence collars