GAP was formed in 1997 to aid the development of conservation grazing throughout the UK; it is a partnership project drawing representatives from the nature conservation, agricultural and livestock sectors. GAP exists to help land managers achieve appropriate grazing on wildlife sites. We provide practical support to graziers, wildlife site managers and conservation advisors through 3 main work areas:

1. Assisting local delivery of grazing through GAP’s ‘Local Grazing Schemes’ initiative

2. Removal of constraints through development of the ‘Solutions Tool-kit’

3. Assistance to the 1300+ advisers and graziers on GAP’s membership list through provision of ‘Servicing and Networking’

Local Grazing Schemes (LGS)

Support to existing schemes and facilitation of new Local Grazing Schemes is provided through an LGS Coordinator for the south of England and for the north of England, Northern Ireland and Scotland. The Welsh arm of GAP, PONT, employs a co-ordinator covering Wales.

Solutions Toolkit

Delivery of Lantra-accredited Training Courses (livestock husbandry for conservation practitioners), production and updating of handbooks and information leaflets and responses to relevant policy consultations.

Services & Networking

Services include a website, regular field visits and workshops, a biennial conference, a quarterly newsletter, an e-mail discussion group for resolving problems and sharing best practice, and a grazing issues enquiry service. Most of the above services are available on this website but to be updated it’s free to join the network by clicking here.

GAP has 2 steering bodies:

1. An Advisory Council comprising of a representative from each of 30 organisations. The Advisory Council meets a few times a year to discuss conservation grazing issues and to make suggestions for GAP priorities.
2. An Executive Committee comprising of a few key representatives who help to shape the GAP workplan and the future vision for the project.

GAP is core-funded by Natural England and receives additional funding from a number of other organisations including the National Trust, the RSPB, the Corporation of London and the Countryside Council for Wales. The GAP contract is managed by the Wildlife Trusts. The current contract runs until mid-2008.