Amazing Graze

Monday 16 February 2015

The backbreaking life of the Island’s countryside rangers is about to get a whole lot easier as the latest technology in land management arrives in Jersey.

The dedicated teams of organisations such as the National Trust for Jersey, whose job it is to keep the north coast, our meadows, pastures and marshland free from being overrun by bracken and weeds, can hang up their sickles and strimmers. Robocut is here!

This ingenious piece of equipment is a radio-controlled high-tech flail and forestry mower on spiked tracks. It is the ideal solution to tackling habitat restoration of the neglected côtils - the small sloping fields – that fringe the clifftops of the north coast.

This remote coastal area is currently being restored, by man and natural sheep grazing, as part of a flagship environmental project to reintroduce the red-billed chough to the Island.

Robocut’s capabilities make it ideal to increase the coastal areas currently kept under control by sheep grazing, by clearing areas overgrown by gorse and bracken more quickly and far safer than by hand or conventional equipment.

Le Pav Limited, which specialise in agricultural contracting, has invested in the Robocut largely due to health and safety issues. Not only can it get into restricted spots, its turning ability and low centre of gravity mean it can work at a 60º angle and sideways – while the person operating the controls remains at a safe distance.

The company says it will shortly be working with the National Trust and Nurture Ecology, and according to best practice, in areas so environmentally important they are protected as Sites of Special Interests.

Oliver Simmons, Managing Director of Le Pav said: “This amazing piece of kit will help with the recovery and maintenance of old and lost fields, like on the north coast. It will also help manage and protect the States wildlife plan and National Trust wildlife habitats.”