Cattle grazing: a win for nature and farming in Glen Prosen

In the Angus Glens, a collaborative approach to land management is showing how livestock can help restore nature while underpinning local livelihoods. Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) is working with a local farmer and a herd of Luing cattle to use carefully managed grazing as a tool to rejuvenate habitats across Glen Prosen—producing high-quality beef and healthier ecosystems in tandem.

Why cattle benefit wild habitats

Left unchecked, many upland grasslands become dense and rank, dominated by coarse grasses that suppress flowering plants and reduce structural diversity. Strategic grazing reverses that trend. As the cattle move and feed, their hooves break up thick mats of grass and their selective browsing creates a patchwork of short and taller vegetation. This mosaic supports a wider range of plants and insects and improves conditions for ground-nesting and wading birds such as black grouse and curlew.

The grazing regime is also being used to shape the structure of new native woodlands—whether established by natural regeneration or by planting—by keeping open glades and edges where woodland and grassland meet. Sensitive areas, including wet flushes and young trees that need time to establish, are protected so they can recover without being trampled or grazed.

Hardy cattle built for the job

The Luing breed, developed from Highland and Beef Shorthorn stock, is well suited to the glen’s rugged conditions. The cattle thrive on rough forage, turning native vegetation into high-quality beef while spending their days outdoors. Regular moves through different parts of the landscape, timed to match the condition of the sward, help avoid overgrazing and keep the benefits spread across the site. The result is a dynamic cycle: cattle maintain habitat diversity, and the land, in turn, supports a resilient, low-input herd.

Smart herding with virtual fences

To direct grazing precisely, the team is using virtual fencing technology. A geofence is mapped digitally across the site, and GPS-enabled collars worn by the cattle signal when animals approach the boundary. The collars emit a series of audio cues that increase in pitch as a warning; if the animal continues forward, the device delivers a mild electrical pulse comparable to a standard electric fence. Most animals quickly learn to respond to the sound alone, reducing the need for physical fencing, lowering maintenance costs, and minimizing disturbance to wildlife and watercourses. The collars used in Glen Prosen were partly funded by a grant from the Cairngorms National Park Authority.

Food and livelihoods alongside recovery

This is not just a nature recovery project; it’s also about sustaining a working landscape. By aligning grazing with habitat goals, the farm produces sustainable, high-welfare beef while contributing to biodiversity targets. The approach forms part of a broader effort by FLS to integrate farming within landscape-scale land management—supporting rural jobs, skills, and new opportunities.

Beyond the grazing itself, the estate’s land and buildings are being used to encourage people to live and work in the glen as restoration progresses. Partnerships are in development to create a field studies centre and a mountaineering bothy, while a local distillery established with support in the glen is set to expand employment. Plans are also being explored for modern apprenticeships in land management, creating pathways for new entrants and the next generation of land stewards across the Angus Glens.

A template for future landscapes

Glen Prosen is emerging as a living case study in how farming and nature can be mutually reinforcing. By combining adaptive, low-intensity grazing with targeted protection for vulnerable habitats and young trees, the project is demonstrating practical methods to boost plant and insect diversity, support iconic bird species, and produce food from a restored landscape. As monitoring continues, the lessons learned here are likely to inform similar projects across Scotland’s uplands—proof that careful livestock management can be a powerful ally for biodiversity and rural communities alike.