Vanessa and Gillian, our two resident pigs, have been on the farm for just over a year now. They are Gloucester Old Spot and Yorkshire crosses – old, hardy breeds that are well suited to a wilder lifestyle than some other domesticated pig breeds might be. It has been a real pleasure getting to know these animals – they are incredibly intelligent, charismatic and sociable and we really love having them on the farm.
They currently have free reign of a 70 acre area which incorporates ponds, wetlands and woodland. We brought the pigs onto the farm to play an important role in helping to restore and enhance the habitats on the farm, replicating the behaviour of wild boar in the landscape. Wild boar are native to Britain. They were hunted to extinction and now live only in small isolated areas where escapees have managed to establish populations. They are a keystone species and through their rootling, digging and foraging, help to restore ecological functions that have been lost in the landscape. Here are a few of the important roles that they play:
1. SOIL DISTURBANCE AND SEED DISPERSAL
By turning over the soil as they root for food, the pigs aerate the ground and promote nutrient cycling. The disturbance also helps to stimulate the growth of native plants – by breaking up the sward of grass it exposes the soil so that seeds are able to germinate. This has the effect of creating a more diverse and rich plant community. By foraging on fruit, nuts and other plants, pigs can also help to disperse seeds across the landscape, making the process of natural regeneration much more effective and speedy.
2. MICROHABITAT CREATION
Pigs love to create wallows – these in turn collect water, creating small ponds and damp areas. Temporary water bodies like these are crucial habitat for invertebrates, plants and amphibians that are often lacking in our ‘tidy’ landscapes. By boosting the invertebrate numbers, it also helps to support birds, bats and other small animals that feed on them.
3. REDUCING DOMINANT SPECIES
The activities of pigs can often help to control dominant or invasive species such as bracken. As a general rule, dominance of a single species is bad for wildlife – a rich and diverse plant community helps to support a wider range of species so pigs can help to promote this.
We’re already seeing the impact that the pigs are having across the farm and we can’t wait to see how they continue to shape the landscape. It has been satisfying to watch them expressing their instinctive and ‘wild’ behaviours despite being domesticated breeds. One fascinating observation was that when hogweed was in flower, the pigs went crazy for the roots – they dug up the plants to access the tubers underground. I searched the internet, assuming that this must be the origin of the name ‘hogweed’ but couldn’t find any reference – only that hogweed used to be cut to feed pigs. Seeing how much our pigs enjoyed the roots, I’m sure this is a little bit of lost history on how it was originally named hogweed.
Of course, I haven’t been able to resist sketching and drawing the new members of the team and it has been so lovely getting to know them a little better.
MEET PADDY, PERCY AND PEDRO
Around two years go, Hannah and Jack welcomed three Miniature Hereford cows to their rewilded farm - meet Paddy, Percy and Pedro. Click here to discover more.