Sussex Dogs Signed Up To Return Wildflowers To Nature Reserve

Sussex Dogs Signed Up To Return Wildflowers To Nature Reserve. The dogs of Lewes have been getting in touch with their inner wolves by helping reseed wildflowers at a local nature reserve. In a ‘first of its kind’ project for the UK, local dogs in the East Sussex town have been emulating their ancestors in giving nature a helping hand. Before wolves were persecuted to extinction in the UK around 1760, they roamed large areas, typically covering 20km or more each night. As they did so they carried wildflower and grass seeds in their fur, often depositing them many miles away to establish new colonies of plants. Dog walkers have been asked by staff at the Railway Land Wildlife Trust in Lewes to equip their hounds with specially designed dog backpacks. As the dogs walk through carefully selected areas of the reserve the holes in the packs allow seeds to be deposited randomly. Because the dogs cover more ground than people and visit areas that are hard to reach, the wildflower seeds are spread more widely across the landscape and germination is likely to be more effective. Following the success of the trial, it is hoped that it can be rolled out more widely next year.