Independent scientists find sheep suit Lake District fells recovery
15th September 2026
Grazing for Good is a collaborative research project led by the Herdwick Sheep Breeders Association (HSBA), West Lakeland CIC and the Federation of Cumbrian Commoners, Phase one of the project commissioned an independent scientific review in the Lake District fells, to review the existing evidence and examine the value of grazing livestock in the hills, whether that is value to farming, nature, landscape or public goods.
The independent scientific review, published in July 2026, has found that habitat recovery and viable hill farming businesses can work together when grazing is planned to suit each area.
The Grazing for Good Project was initiated in response to stocking level changes in Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) rollover agreements commencing in 2020. HLS is a government agri-environment scheme that pays farmers to manage land for the environment.
A central question was the figure of 0.5 ewes/ha, set out in Natural England’s 2020 report ‘Grazing regimes for nature recovery’, as an annual average at which good habitat recovery has sometimes been seen. The panel found the figure set out in NE’s 2020 report is drawn mainly from local observation rather than a wider body of scientific evidence. The independent scientific review concludes the figure is best treated as a cautious local reference point, not a target to apply across the fells. The review also records Natural England’s position that its advice draws on site surveys, condition assessments and professional judgement as well.
The independent scientific review found habitat condition is shaped by much more than sheep numbers. Nitrogen deposition from the air, burning, climate change, deer and past management all play a part, alongside the timing and pattern of grazing. Some upland habitats depend on grazing to remain in good condition. Where purple moor-grass is already dominant, removing sheep can let coarse growth build up and crowd out smaller plants.
The review found that effective nature recovery requires flexible, evidence based grazing management tailored to local environmental conditions rather than reliance on a universal stocking figure, such as the 0.5 ewes/ha outlined in NE’s 2020 report. Abby Cook, NSA Project Manager, says: “This review gives everyone with an interest in the fells the same evidence to work from, and its clearest message is there is no magic number. What works on one fell may not work on the next, so decisions need to be made with the farmers and commoners who manage each area. We would welcome responses to the independent scientific review from those with evidence or experience to add, because those responses will shape the next stage of the project.”
The review also sets stocking decisions against farm incomes. Agri-environment and other scheme payments made up just under 59% of farm business income on upland livestock farms in England in 2024/25, according to the Defra Farm Business Survey. The panel concludes changes to stocking need to be judged against the viability of the whole farm, not the fell grazing calendar alone.
Phil Stocker, NSA Chief Executive, says: “Sheep grazing is often presented as the problem in our uplands, and this independent review shows the picture is more complex than that. A key finding of the review is that timing and pattern of grazing matters. This is very much what NSA has been advocating for some time now and it is good that this has now been evidenced as part of this review – the right sheep in the right place at the right time really matters. Government needs to look at how farmers could be supported to help provide the more intense shepherding required to help enable this to happen. Hill farming families have shaped the Lake District for generations, and the evidence supports keeping them at the centre of decisions about its future. We want every organisation with a stake in the fells to read the review, respond to it and use it to build trust in how those decisions are made.”
The Grazing for Good project runs until December 2027, with phase 2 to begin later in 2026. Responses to the review will inform the next stage of the project.
