Volunteers needed to ‘nanny’ goats in the South Downs National Park

Volunteers needed to ‘nanny’ goats in the South Downs National Park

April 10, 2017

Volunteers are needed to support conservation work in the South Downs National Park by looking out for a newly arrived herd of 12 goats, brought in to help restore rare chalk grassland near Upper Beeding in West Sussex.

The rare-breed ‘Bagot’ goats – which go by the names of Frances, Iona, Grace, Gloria, Gina, Gladys, Hermione, Hetty, Hilary, Hebe, Josie and Jennifer – are being brought in by farmer Annie Brown to care for and restore a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Unlike sheep, which graze on grasses, the goats tend to browse their way through brambles and overgrown shrub which are threatening this internationally rare habitat.

Phillippa Morrison-Price, Lead Ranger for the South Downs National Park, said:

“The work will involve carrying out regular checks on the herd to make sure they are all there and all looking healthy and reporting any issues to the stockman.

“We would like to thank both the Rare Breeds Survival Trust and the Bagot Goat Society in locating this small starter herd.”

To find out more about volunteering please contact Phillippa.Morrison-Price@southdowns.gov.uk