Cattle have arrived at Tice’s Meadow Nature Reserve near Farnham to graze on the land, so supporting habitat management of the site. 

Three Sussex bullocks were released onto the meadow in October and – we are assured – soon adapted to their new territory. 

Sussex cattle are a hardy breed, well known for being docile and are therefore the perfect choice to help with conservation grazing.

Tice’s Meadow is a newly-developed nature reserve on the site of the former Farnham quarry. Surrey County Council acquired the site in 2021 with funding support from Hampshire County Council, Guildford Borough Council, Waverley Borough Council, Rushmoor Borough Council and Farnham Town Council.

The habitats on site consist of a mixture of open water, gravel islands and scrapes, reedbeds, scrub, woodland, ponds and wet and dry grassland.

The site is widely considered one of the best inland sites to watch birds in the South East. There is a network or permissive footpaths throughout the site and the Blackwater Valley Path runs along the northern perimeter.

The cattle were delivered to Tice’s Meadow by the Downlands Partnership who work alongside the Countryside Estates Team to manage Surrey’s countryside spaces. Established in 1988, the Downlands Partnership provides a countryside management service, maintaining and enhancing the local environment for biodiversity, people and wildlife.