Owners of land round an ancient monument are adopting some woolly thinking to keep the grounds maintained.
Forest Enterprise Scotland (FES) is has appealed for a flock of Perthshire sheep to keep the ground around the four-post Na ClachanAoraidh stone circle tidy.
Graeme Findlay, of the FES team in Tay District, said: “We’re offering 17.41 hectares seasonal grazing — suitable for around 30 to 35 sheep — for a period of two months during September and October and we might consider a further period of one month in the spring.
“It’s a limestone area and we are looking to get the sheep to keep the mix of grasslands on the site in the right balance, reducing the more acidic grassland plants to give more space for calcareous grassland species.
“As well as keeping the stone circle clear of vegetation, the grazing should help us to expand the rare and specialised plant communities that grow where limestone outcrops can be found by reducing the competition from other vegetation.”
The seasonal let is in Allean Forest just north of Loch Tummel.
The site is stock-fenced and has water on-site but might need additional water in very dry weather periods.
Effective grazing in September and October is key and an extension of grazing for four weeks in the spring may be offered at some point in the future through agreement by both parties.
Forestry Commission Scotland is part of the Scottish Government’s environment and forestry directorate.
For more information contact Tay District Office in Dunkeld on 0300 067 6380.
