Why Cattle Are Returning to Formby’s Dunes This Winter

Thousands of years ago, Formby’s coastline looked very different. Large grazing animals roamed freely across the landscape, naturally keeping the dunes open and allowing patches of bare, shifting sand to form.

These constantly changing conditions are vital for some of Formby’s rarest wildlife — including natterjack toads and sand lizards — which depend on open, sandy habitat to survive.

Today, without grazing or regular management, invasive scrub such as sea buckthorn, Japanese rose (Rosa rugosa) and grey poplar spreads quickly across the dunes.

If it’s left to take over, it can smother the natural habitat, over-stabilise the sand, and stop our native dune plants and wildlife from thriving.

That’s why this winter, the National Trust is trialling cattle grazing in the Ravenmeols area of Formby.

The aim is to gently restore the landscape in the same way nature once did. The cattle help to open up the dunes, create small patches of bare sand and improve the conditions needed for our rare coastal species.

It’s a sustainable, low-impact method that reconnects Formby with thousands of years of natural history — and helps secure the future of our special dune grasslands.

If you’d like to learn more about the grazing project, including FAQs and how to check the live location of the cattle, you can visit the National Trust’s information page here: https://bit.ly/3M1sdob