HIGHLAND cattle have been brought in to help conserve one of the last remaining areas of lowland heath in County Durham.

Three cows – Hope, Betty and Kate – will graze Wanister Bog, part of the Waldridge Fell Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) near Chester-le-Street, which is in danger of losing its special plants.

The wetland habitat of the bog has been drying out and, this year, Durham County Council, which owns the SSSI, has installed a bund to retain water.

Countryside rangers and volunteers helped to put up a fence and a corral to contain the cattle which will graze the fell as part of the Flexigraze programme that provides animals for this work.

County council senior ecologist Stuart Priestley said: “Wanister Bog is one of only two valley mires in the county, and is a really special wetland habitat.

“These docile cows are perfect for this type of conservation work, as the combination of their heavy weight and their constant eating breaks up the thick layer of grass, allowing the area to become wetter and wildflowers to seed on the bare earth.”

He added: “They are perfect for this wet habitat. A highland cow just loves water. They’ll quite happily spend their time up to their stomachs in water and just plodge around.

“They are also hardy and will eat rough grass. They are not like milk cows that need nice grass.

“The cows will graze the bog for three to four months over the winter, giving visitors to the fell an opportunity to see them in a natural setting.”

Mr Priestley said people were welcome to come to Wanister Bog while the cattle are still there.

He added: “What we would ask is that visitors keep their distance and keep any dogs under control.”

The project is funded by the County Durham Environmental Trust.

Lowland heath, which is usually found at an altitude below 250 metres, is a threatened habitat in the UK.

Flexigraze specialises in providing animals to graze nature reserves and important grasslands in the North-East.