Yes to nature: Sheep raised solely to preserve landscape in Dutch northwest

RINNEGOM/The Netherlands — In the Netherlands’ northwestern province of Rinnegom, more than 1,000 sheep grazed freely on 750 hectares of a farm; here they were not raised for dairy products but solely for landscape management and nature preservation.

In Lanscape Rinnegom (Dutch “landschapsbeheer Rinnegom”) farmers use herds to create a species rich vegetation through helping seeds spread in the area.

“Our sheep are neither for producing milk, cheese and meat nor for wool, hides and skins, but solely for landscape management and nature preservation,” Marijke Dirkson, the sheepherder, told journalists, who were part of a recent media tour organised by Holland Branding, Netherlands Enterprise Agency.

The idea is simple. Sheep graze in allocated and fenced areas in the forest and then through their manure they help spread seeds in the area, Dirkson explained. 

“Deposition of nitrogen has broken the natural cycle — that’s why it is important to break this development and get rid of nutrients — to go back to the original state of the natural habitat… Next generations will find the results of our actions today — the shepherds and their sheep herds who formed the landscape,” she added.  

With her job best described as “ecological landscape manager”, Dirkson said that nature management is based on three pillars: System of balancing variables; keeping focus, isolation by creating distance; and geographical spread of activities. 

“All is being practised in the landscape here.”

Lanscape Rinnegom is part of “Sheep Grazing” initiative, or “schapenbegrazing” in Dutch, involving 15 operating companies specialised in nature management, animal well-being and social coherence, according to Dirkson. 

She also said that the clients of “schapenbegrazing” are mainly governments, and water and land management organisations.