Wild Bison re-introduced in Kent's West Blean Woods

Chestnut

Thanks for all the interesting information Elegran.
Apart from that, the posts on this thread are beginning to repeat already.

You have the choice don't read them then.
Or perhaps you can suggest a format we could all follow to stop the posts being repetitive.

These two links have a lot of very interesting information.

Bison in Denmark - www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmHtt-kzYi0
and www.wisenten.nl/en (which has a lot of blog-type articles at various dates in the history of the wisenten project)
They are both in English.

The one at www.bezoekdemaashorst.nl/het-oergebied/wilde-grazers is probably very interesting too - but the commentary is all in Dutch.

Thanks for all the interesting information Elegran.
Apart from that, the posts on this thread are beginning to repeat already.

Chestnut

Kim19 If you're talking about red squirrels, they could not compete with the American greys which were introduced in the Victorian era I think. The greys took all the food and the native reds slowly died out. Very sad. Nannagarra you are very, very lucky to see reds where you live, especially in your garden! They are so rare and precious.

We have quite a few red squirrel sanctuaries where I live and we did use to get one in the garden.
Now there is a programme for developing contraception for grey squirrels. The mind drew lurid pictures[as someone said "poor squirrels no nuts",} until they said it would probably be put in their food.

Area comparison - HWP and west Blean Woods -
Highland Wildlife Park 260-acre wildlife park has a "large herd" of European bison.
www.highlandwildlifepark.org.uk/animals-attractions/animals/european-bison/
Winter driveround including bison www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUACnpiMvUk

West Blean Woods 1200 acre nature reserve
The park is allowed to have up to 10 animals on site. However, the bison are not totally free to wander—they’re currently confined to just 12 acres. But that will jump up to 123 acres later in the summer and then more than third of the total park area after that.

About the “Wilder Blean” project www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwibXu8jAGE

Note that this is a controlled trial.

At wildwoodtrust.org/wilder-blean/in answer to a question "Will you be monitoring this project, and if so how?" the wildwood trust say "This is a first for the UK. However, in Europe, bison are used in several different countries to manage and enhance habitats.

Wildwood Trust and Kent Wildlife Trust staff have visited projects of a similar nature in the Netherlands, where 4 separate bison grazing projects are currently running and brought back a huge amount of information and learning. In Haarlem, for example, bison have been used to restore a site for 15 years as part of a project in very close proximity to a major city. There is now free public access through the area with the bison, providing an amazing visitor experience. The habitats there have dramatically improved since the reintroduction of the bison, hence why they can be called ecosystem engineers. The project team are frequently speaking to the Dutch teams that manage these projects and gaining further insights and sharing knowledge and ideas. Here are a few useful links to similar projects on the continent. Many of the techniques used here have been used to inform this project:
www.wisenten.nl/en
www.bezoekdemaashorst.nl/het-oergebied/wilde-grazers

This is a first for the UK. However, in Europe, bison are used in several different countries to manage and enhance habitats.

Wildwood Trust and Kent Wildlife Trust staff have visited projects of a similar nature in the Netherlands, where 4 separate bison grazing projects are currently running and brought back a huge amount of information and learning. In Haarlem, for example, bison have been used to restore a site for 15 years as part of a project in very close proximity to a major city. There is now free public access through the area with the bison, providing an amazing visitor experience. The habitats there have dramatically improved since the reintroduction of the bison, hence why they can be called ecosystem engineers. The project team are frequently speaking to the Dutch teams that manage these projects and gaining further insights and sharing knowledge and ideas. Here are a few useful links to similar projects on the continent. Many of the techniques used here have been used to inform this project:
www.wisenten.nl/en
www.bezoekdemaashorst.nl/het-oergebied/wilde-grazers
In Denmark - www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmHtt-kzYi0

Bison eco-system engineers - www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Q4WJxfFsjA

MissAdventure

Isn't trumping the relevant thing?
Cows produce lots of methane.
Do bison?
I don't know much about animal blow offs.

Of course they do all animals that consume lots of roughage like grass have to use bacteria to break it down, it’s anaerobic digestion and produces methane.
Either way the few bison that are going to be released into nature reserves in the UK are not going to make a difference any more than Safari park animals are.

? ahh someone got it!?

Isn't trumping the relevant thing?
Cows produce lots of methane.
Do bison?
I don't know much about animal blow offs.

Funny thing is cows churn up the soil too. But they're not considered ecologically acceptable.

What ecological system is most valuable? One that's evolved over 10,000 or one that will take another 10,000 to replace it?

Sometimes I'm not sure that the belief that one is right doesn't trump all other approaches sometimes?

Of all the most crowded places to introduce these animals I would have thought Kent was surely one of the most un suitable.
Kent has the main UK ferry port, problems often, and on tv at the moment, two motorways always crawling with lorries and cars on their way to Dover, high speed trains, a tunnel and a huge bridge, many refugees, housing and social problems.
I live here and constant gridlock is an every day experience, it’s just too much. Nothing against the principle but why Kent?

Look at the Wildwood website. It explains the environmental benefits of Bison and that they are gentle creatures. The UK’s ecosystem is out of balance as humans have wiped out the top predators. If balance is to be restored we need to reintroduce everything that has been lost not just the cute and cuddly things.

Are the Bison introduced to enter the food chain?

I read they were introduced as a keystone species to change the ecology of the area, is this so?

Also to aid climate warming, as they churn up the soil and break or knock down trees.

These 5 Bison have a lot riding on them

I read that in order to try and stunt the breeding of grey squirrels a form of birth control has been fed to them in the form of pellets How short sighted is this, the other creatures who feed off the dead squirrels will be affected too. Who knows what the outcome could be. I don’t think we should be interfering with the eco chain

I have a Swiss Aunty who told me that in the spirit of re-wilding wolves were put into the mountainsides. Very quickly the breeding got out of control and the wolves began venturing further and further down onto the farmsteads and into the villages - a very sudden rethink took place. Also a bright spark thought the Cows should be allowed to grow their horns but then the cows started fighting each other, they quickly realised this wasn’t a good idea either.

There is a possibility of Pine Martens being re-introduced in Devon apparently. Brilliant.

I would agree that the squirrelpox virus is carried by grey squirrels, but it kills the red ones (horribly) while the grey ones don't succumb.

Callistemon21

^There is also virus (I think) that also only affects grey squirrels. In some areas, the grey population is declining because of these two factors^
Unfortunately, I think it's the red squirrels who succumb to Squirrelpox virus whereas the greys seem carry it but seem immune to it.

I’ll have to check it, so apologies if I’m wrong.

Wild boar sausages are available already!
In shops and available online.

If anyone is in North Wales then please get some bison from the farm shop and let us know what it is like.

Oh dear, just bring on the pine martins then. ?

Good points ayse. Bring on the pine martins and the virus!

And I look forward to roast wild boar or monkjack venison for Sunday lunch. ?

There is also virus (I think) that also only affects grey squirrels. In some areas, the grey population is declining because of these two factors
Unfortunately, I think it's the red squirrels who succumb to Squirrelpox virus whereas the greys seem carry it but seem immune to it.

Just a thought. There is a great book called ‘Wilding’ that describes and discusses the changes made on an estate in West Sussex. It’s a fascinating book. It describes the action of cattle on ground, helping to churn the soil, which in itself encourages further changes in the environment and recolonisation by rarer species. It’s a great read as well.

Apparently, pine martins predate grey squirrels but can’t catch the reds. There is also virus (I think) that also only affects grey squirrels. In some areas, the grey population is declining because of these two factors.

I can’t understand why more isn’t done to cull both monkjacks and wild boar. It could provide protein for us humans, if nothing else.

MissAdventure

Don't buy a house near the fence!
Imagine being able to look out and see them, though.
It must be quite splendid!

I don't think there are any houses within the nature reserve. The nearest will be beyond two fences - the one round the 1200 acre nature reserve reserve and the one round the 123 acre bison enclosure inside the reserve. Belt and braces.

Those you mention were never indigenous, so they had no predators or natural diseases etc to keep them in check.
And they either predate or otherwise endanger our native species.