Basildon Council has admitted that the old ways are definitely the best - at least as far as managing Billericay's natural heritage is concerned.

The council is concerned that modern mowing methods are destroying the appearance and the wildlife of Mill Meadows.

Now it is looking back to the 90-acre site's ancient past for the solution and introducing 30 cattle to keep the grass down naturally.

The cattle will be the first since 1989, when the council took the site over and brought centuries of grazing on the meadow to an end.

Research has shown that mowing grass leads to a gradual decline in the diversity of wildlife, particularly plants and insects, and that grazing is actually the most effective solution.

Cllr David Keeffe, chairman of Basildon Council's community and leisure committee, said: "Old grazing meadows are a rarity throughout England. This district is extremely fortunate to have a wonderful example of such a habit.

"The spring and summer displays of a whole host of wild flowers is proof of its value. This biodiversity has only been achieved through centuries of grazing.

"The bushes and the brambles are rapidly taking over the meadow and grazing animals will help prevent this.

"We hope visitors will appreciate that this is also the best way to ensure they can continue to enjoy their countryside heritage."

The move has received a cautious welcome from the Mill Meadow Society.

Chairman Jim Watts said: "The grass cutting this year has done a lot of damage because it was left too late. The tractors have made a mess of the ground.

"We feel that this is an experiment that we should go along with to see how it goes. Hopefully it will bring the meadow back to how it used to be."

Work on installing new fencing is expected to get under way shortly, and it will include a series of kissing gates to ensure that public access to the site is maintained.

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