Digital Shepherd

Restoring, preserving and enhancing ecosystems is one of the biggest challenges we as a society face, and this is especially true in rural areas. Managed Conservation Grazing is one of the most effective mechanisms for addressing this challenge. The Digital Shepherd project has developed a digital resource that celebrates managed conservation grazing and educate people on its importance.

The project recognizes that people need to behave more responsibly around Managed Conservation Grazing. Better dog control, consideration of ground nesting birds, reduced or zero littering and deterring off-road bikes are key features of the digital resource and are seen as benefiting Managed Conservation Grazing.

Digital Shepherd will trial digital technology to track herds and flocks that will:

• Allow record keeping and statistics for future research and comparison.
• Reduce Managed Conservation Grazing monitoring costs, allow herd / flock movements to be studied and record flock movements to use as education materials on flock worrying.
• The project undertook outreach events and activities to signpost people to the project.