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Tuesday 15 Oct 2024

Network Rail and White Cliffs Countryside Partnership hire some unusual new staff – with hooves instead of hard hats - to sustainably manage rare landscape

Region & Route:

Southern: Kent

They’re not the usual employees you’d expect a railway to hire, but Network Rail’s latest recruits, a herd (or "trip") of goats, have taken to their new jobs with great enthusiasm, helping to restore chalk grassland near – but not on – tracks in Folkestone.

The unique landscape of Folkestone Warren surrounds the railway between Folkestone and Dover, with its rare chalk grassland habitat supporting a variety of unusual species of plants and animals. Many of the rarer species of plant, such as chalk eyebright require open ground to thrive, and up until recently the only way of providing that was for staff to use brushcutters to cut back the encroaching brambles and scrubs.

While that’s still a crucial part of the area’s management, a trip of Boer goats has joined an existing herd of cows to graze parts of the Warren that aren’t easily accessible to staff and volunteers.

The land and the cliffs at Folkestone Warren are a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest and local nature reserve, and is managed by the White Cliffs Countryside Partnership on behalf of Network Rail.

Steff D’Agorne from the White Cliffs Countryside Project said: “We’re delighted to welcome our goats to this Nature Reserve. Historically, Folkestone Warren was a much more open landscape, with a mixture of chalk grassland, scrub and woodland and we’re hoping the goats will help restore some of this diversity and encourage some of the rare species that occur at the Warren to colonise new areas. We know that diverse habitats are much more resilient, so the goats should help the Warren’s wildlife adapt to the challenge of a warming climate.”

Derek Butcher, from Network Rail’s Southern Region, said: “We’re privileged to be custodians of the Folkestone Warren – a geologically active landscape that our railway was built through in the 1840s. We need to look after it properly to preserve its incredible species. Bringing in natural grazing is a sustainable way of doing that, meaning less noise, less pollution and less need to put people at risk by having to maintain steep slopes.”

Network Rail funded the goats through its Green Fund, which exists to invest in environment and social sustainability projects in the Southern region, driving outcomes like carbon reduction, biodiversity improvements and increased social value.  The Network Rail team arranged for the goats safe arrival on a carefully marked out route to stop them accessing the railway – which is securely fenced off throughout the site. Conservation grazing isn’t possible on the lineside to keep trains and goats safe from each other, and the electrified conductor rail.

Steff added: “While the goats are an exciting addition to Folkestone Warren, we’re keen that people respect that they have a job to do and leave them alone to live happily and graze the landscape undisturbed. Please keep dogs on leads when you’re around the cliffs and the paths of the Warren.”

The White Cliffs Countryside Partnership is looking for volunteers to help them as “Lookers” – an old Kentish term for country workers who watched over sheep and other livestock. Anyone interested in playing a role in the continued preservation of the Warren by watching out for the goats should get in touch via email to WCCP@dover.gov.uk. Volunteers are welcome to help by lookering as often or infrequently as they like, and all the training they need will be provided by the Rangers.