Nude Ewe wool is spun from the fleeces of Bedfordshire's conservation grazing flocks. Grasslands are a key feature of the English countryside. For centuries these habitats have been maintained by grazing sheep and other livestock. Without these animals our fields would turn to scrub, and we would lose the unique plants and animals that rely on our grassland habitats.

The best sheep for conservation grazing are heritage breeds. These ancient breeds are very hardy and can handle adverse weather conditions. They will eat rough grasses, twigs and bramble that modern breeds won't touch. This keeps the scrub from taking over. Unlike modern breeds however, heritage breeds tend to be small and slow growing, many produce excellent meat and fleece but because they grow slowly are not used commercially.  Sadly many of these breeds are now disappearing and some are close to extinction.

Sheep must be sheared every year. This costs farmers money, and the fleeces themselves are worth only pennies. It also costs money to repair fences, maintain shelters and deliver medical treatment. We're working to help conservation graziers recover these costs. To do this we're turning waste fleeces into a commercial product: yarn! Proceeds from the sale of the yarn will be returned to the grazier. In this way we hope to encourage more people to use heritage sheep breeds to graze Bedfordshire's grasslands for nature conservation.

Who are we?

The Nude Ewe is a partnership between BedsLife - Bedfordshire & Luton Biodiversity Partnership and BCNP Wildlife Trust.

For more information on the Nude Ewe Conservation Wool Project contact Laura Downton on 01234 362776 or: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Heather Webb on 03003006025 or: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

How we can help?

If you own heritage sheep breeds and graze conservation sites and are interested in selling your wool through our project, we would love to hear from you.

Website

For more information about the project and the wool we sell visit www.bedslife.org.uk/nude-ewe/

To visit our blog go to www.nude-ewe.com/blog/