FARMERS in the Yorkshire Dales National Park have one last chance to introduce traditional cattle breeds into the area.
They are encouraged to swap sheep for cattle such as Blue-Greys and Shorthorns which survive harsh winters living off the rough grasses.
Sheep graze close to the ground on sweet grass - which means they also eat wild herbs and flowers and ignore the rough grasses, which are left to grow uncontrolled.
The Limestone Country Project aims to help the flowers and herbs survive by offering cash incentives to farmers to introduce traditional cattle which do not crop so close to the ground and can eat the rough grass.
The farmers sign a five-year agreement to keep the cattle and, in exchange, the animals are bought for them and they are paid for the number they keep.
Because the meat from traditional breeds is of a higher quality than normal cows, it sells for a higher price, helping to increase farm incomes.
Louise Williams, the Park's Limestone Country Project officer, has invited 200 farmers to contact her about the scheme - about half have so far made inquiries.
"This really is their last chance to join the project," she said, "Twelve farmers have already taken up five-year agreements and the aim was to have 15 in total although we may increase the number if there is a good response."
* The Limestone Country Project will be featured on television on November 10 in ModernTimes, part of the BBC-TV series British Isles: A Natural History, presented by Alan Titchmarsh.
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