Towards the 1980’s the valleys were overgrown with trees and bushes and in the damp areas, rushes and sedge took over, plants that are hard and jaggy and the problem started again.
It was the Vosges du Nord Regional Nature Park that was responsible for finding an original and ecological solution to these problems.
It was on the ‘Day of the Environment’ in 1991 that the first Highland Cattle were introduced in the Neuweiler valley in Baerenthal.
Coming from the Scottish mountains, these animals were very hardy. They could live outside all year round. They didn’t have problems with there feet in damp areas and most importantly they ate poor quality vegetation such as the rushes and sedge, which were widespread in the valleys.
