SHEPHERD
The typical Dutch moorland landscapes are world famous and are on the list of World Heritage Sites. These landscapes were created in the Middle Ages by the intensive grazing of sheep on cleared land.
This ancient method is still practiced in the same way today, so the characteristics of these fields have not changed. The grazing generates an explosion of biodiversity in which each plant and animal species has its own natural place.
“If we stop our work, within a few years it will become completely dense here, and that will be at the expense of many unique plant and animal species,” says shepherd Aart van den Brandhof. Fewer plant and animal species mean a greater risk of pests, diseases, and nuisances.
Nature in the Netherlands is not wild but largely cultivated so we must keep it balanced ourselves. Of all the biodiversity originally present in the Netherlands, only 18% remains today. We must be very careful with that. This is where the shepherds and their flocks play an important role. Despite their importance, the life of a shepherd is very difficult. Their herds mostly graze land on behalf of large organizations, relying heavily on short-term contracts.
Moreover, grazing by sheep is still chosen infrequently. Far more often large machines are used, which is very damaging to biodiversity. Where sheep only take out the fast growing grasses, a machine takes everything. In the future, more consideration must be given to the added value of sheep herdsmen in terms of meaningful nature conservation and cultural-historical value.
