Rare-breed sheep return to City of London Corporation-run Hampstead Heath for special conservation mission

Rare-breed sheep return to Hampstead Heath for a second grazing project Conservation trial shows how traditional grazing supports biodiversity Visitors invited to see a historic Heath tradition brought back to life Five rare-breed sheep have returned to Hampstead Heath this week as part of a conservation mission, helping City of London Corporation ecologists explore how traditional grazing techniques can support nature recovery in London. A flock of five Norfolk Horn and Oxford Down ewes, on loan from Mudchute City Farm, are grazing the Heath's anthill meadow for a second time this year from Wednesday 9 to Monday 21 September between 8am and 7pm each day. The sheep will be stabled locally overnight, with staff and volunteers continually monitoring their welfare throughout the day. The City of London Corporation has managed Hampstead Heath since 1989, and has been trialling conservation grazing since 2019 to understand how it can help to maintain wildlife-rich habitats. While sheep were once a familiar sight on Hampstead Heath, grazing disappeared during the 1950s. New research by The London Archives has uncovered records showing sheep grazed Parliament Hill, and other parts of the