Naturalistic grazing boosts plant diversity in grasslands, aiding conservation efforts.
Grazing by semi-feral cattle and horses in grasslands increases plant species richness and uniqueness compared to mowing or no grazing. The study compared different grazing treatments in a rewilding area in Denmark and found that year-round and winter-only grazing had the highest species richness. Summer-only grazing had the lowest uniqueness, while full exclosure plots had the lowest species richness. Naturalistic grazing is not only important for ecological restoration but also helps conserve grassland plants and communities.