Stel je voor dat je een tuinman inhuurt om het onkruid op je oprit te wieden. Hij doet fantastisch werk, maar na een tijdje ontdek je dat hij stiekem de ongewenste woekerplanten in je achtertuin aan het bemesten is. Klinkt absurd? Toch is dit wat er momenteel gebeurt in Vlaamse natuurgebieden zoals de Westhoek. We zetten wilde paarden in als ecologische grasmaaiers, maar uit mijn onderzoek blijkt dat ze de hardnekkigste struiken in het landschap onbedoeld een groeispurt geven.
Spioneren vanuit de lucht
Natuurgebieden zoals de Westhoek hebben een probleem: ze groeien langzaam maar zeker dicht. Vroeger hielden de wind en konijnen de zandvlaktes open, maar vandaag dreigen dichte struiken en taaie grassen het landschap over te nemen. Om te voorkomen dat onze unieke duin- en heidelandschappen in bossen veranderen, laten natuurbeheerders kuddes wilde Konikpaarden, Shetlandpony's en runderen los. De verwachting is dat zij met hun stevige eetlust het landschap open en gevarieerd houden. Maar doen ze dat in de praktijk ook echt?
Om dat te achterhalen, brachten we hun dagelijkse wandeltochten minutieus in kaart. We gaven verschillende grote grazers een slimme GPS-halsband. Jarenlang stuurden ze elke dertig minuten hun exacte locatie door. Zo wisten we feilloos waar de dieren graasden, sliepen en rondzwierven. Maar weten waar een paard stapt, vertelt je nog niet wat er met de planten onder hun hoeven gebeurt. Daarom riepen we de hulp in van drones. Door extreem gedetailleerde luchtbeelden uit 2020 te vergelijken met beelden uit 2025 konden we (tot op tweeënhalve centimeter nauwkeurig!) meten welke planten waren gekrompen en welke de hoogte in waren geschoten.
Toen we de 'wandelkaart' van de paarden over de 'groeikaart' van de planten legden, zagen we een patroon dat de klassieke theorieën op hun kop zette.
Van grasmaaier tot meststrooier
De dieren doen hun job aanvankelijk uitstekend. Zolang het landschap relatief open is, werken ze als perfecte, biologische grasmaaiers. Ze eten jonge scheuten op en trappen beginnende ruigtes plat, waardoor ze met succes voorkomen dat het zandlandschap dichtgroeit.
Maar de natuur is koppig. Zodra een doornige struik die eerste verdedigingslinie overleeft en te groot of te stekelig wordt, valt het negatieve effect van de paarden weg. Wat er dan gebeurt, is een paradox in het natuurbeheer. De grazers die in de buurt blijven van die grote struiken vertrappelen de bodem eromheen, woelen de aarde los en laten er hun mest achter. Die combinatie van vrijgekomen mineralen en verse voedingsstoffen werkt als een effectieve cocktail van kunstmest. In plaats van de plant af te remmen, geven de paarden de volwassen struiken onbedoeld een groeispurt. De 'grasmaaier' is een 'meststrooier' geworden.
De kleine held van de kudde
Betekent dit dat we kuddes uit de natuur moeten halen? Absoluut niet. Het bewijst vooral dat we natuurbeheer niet kunnen oplossen door er simpelweg één soort dier in te droppen en achterover te leunen. Voor volwassen struikgewas zullen natuurbeheerders af en toe nog steeds zélf met de kettingzaag moeten ingrijpen.
Daarnaast onthulde het onderzoek een ander geheim wapen: variatie in de kudde. Hoewel we vaak naar grote paarden of indrukwekkende runderen grijpen, bleek juist de kleine Shetlandpony een verrassende specialist. Dankzij zijn kleinere gestalte en fijnere snuit foerageert hij liever in lage struiken en ijle begroeiing waar de grote Konikpaarden hun neus voor ophalen. Een gezond natuurgebied heeft dus niet alleen hongerige grazers nodig, maar vooral een divers team van specialisten.
De perfecte balans
Laten we dus nog even terugkeren naar die ijverige tuinman op je oprit. Gooi je hem buiten omdat hij per ongeluk de onkruidstruiken in je achtertuin heeft bemest? Natuurlijk niet. Je geeft hem gewoon een extra collega en trekt voor het allerzwaarste werk af en toe zélf je tuinhandschoenen aan. Precies dat is de sleutel tot het natuurbeheer van de toekomst. Geen blinde afhankelijkheid van één soort, maar een slimme samenwerking tussen paard, pony en... de mens.
Acciaro, M., Pittarello, M., Decandia, M., Sitzia, M., Giovanetti, V., Lombardi, G., & Clark, P. E. (2024). Resource selection by Sarda cattle in a Mediterranean silvopastoral system. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2024.1348736 Aerts, R. (1989). Aboveground Biomass and Nutrient Dynamics of Calluna vulgaris and Molinia caerulea in a Dry Heathland. Oikos, 56(1), 31–38. https://doi.org/10.2307/3566084 Allen, A. M., & Singh, N. J. (2016). Linking Movement Ecology with Wildlife Management and Conservation. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 3. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2015.00155 Anna, C., Martyna, P., Marcin, S., & Dawid, W. (2023). Habitat use by semi-feral Konik horses on wetlands—Three-year GPS study. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 195(9), 1033. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-023-11605-y Bailey, D. W., Gross, J. E., Laca, E. A., Rittenhouse, L. R., Coughenour, M. B., Swift, D. M., & Sims, P. L. (1996). Mechanisms That Result in Large Herbivore Grazing Distribution Patterns. Journal of Range Management, 49(5), 386. https://doi.org/10.2307/4002919 Bakker, J. P. (1989). Nature Management by Grazing and Cutting. Springer Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-2255-6 Beck, H. E., Zimmermann, N. E., McVicar, T. R., Vergopolan, N., Berg, A., & Wood, E. F. (2018). Present and future Köppen-Geiger climate classification maps at 1-km resolution. Scientific Data, 5(1), 180214. https://doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2018.214 Bergin, M. D., Börger, L., da Rocha, É. G., Havmøller, R. W., Jensen, M., & Svenning, J.-C. (2026). Open habitats and species differences shape space use in semi-feral cattle and horses across Danish rewilding sites. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 198(6), 639. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-026-15487-8 Bobbink, R., Hornung, M., & Roelofs, J. G. M. (1998). The effects of air-borne nitrogen pollutants on species diversity in natural and semi-natural European vegetation. Journal of Ecology, 86(5), 717 738. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2745.1998.8650717.x 90 Bokdam, J., & De Vries Wallis, M. F. (1992). Forage Quality as a Limiting Factor for Cattle Grazing in Isolated Dutch Nature Reserves. Conservation Biology, 6(3), 399–408. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1523-1739.1992.06030399.x Bokdam, J., & Gleichman, J. M. (2000). Effects of grazing by free-ranging cattle on vegetation dynamics in a continental north-west European heathland. Journal of Applied Ecology, 37(3), 415–431. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2664.2000.00507.x Bordin, C., Raspa, F., Greppi, M., Harris, P., Ellis, A. D., Roggero, A., Palestrini, C., Cavallini, D., Bergero, D., & Valle, E. (2024). Pony feeding management: The role of morphology and hay feeding methods on intake rate, ingestive behaviors and mouth shaping. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2024.1332207 Brinkmann, L., Gerken, M., & Riek, A. (2013). Effect of long-term feed restriction on the health status and welfare of a robust horse breed, the Shetland pony (Equus ferus caballus). Research in Veterinary Science, 94(3), 826–831. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rvsc.2012.10.010 Burt, W. H. (1943). Territoriality and Home Range Concepts as Applied to Mammals. Journal of Mammalogy, 24(3), 346–352. https://doi.org/10.2307/1374834 Cagnacci, F., Boitani, L., Powell, R. A., & Boyce, M. S. (2010). Animal ecology meets GPS-based radiotelemetry: A perfect storm of opportunities and challenges. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 365(1550), 2157–2162. https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2010.0107 Calabrese, J. M., Fleming, C. H., & Gurarie, E. (2016). ctmm: An r package for analyzing animal relocation data as a continuous-time stochastic process. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 7(9), 1124–1132. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12559 Celaya, R., Ferreira, L. M. M., García, U., García, R., & Osoro, K. (2011). Diet selection and performance of cattle and horses grazing in heathlands. Animal : An International Journal of Animal Bioscience, 5 9, 1467–1473. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731111000449 Celaya, R., Ferreira, L. M. M., García, U., García, R. R., & Osoro, K. (2012). Heavy grazing by horses on heathlands of different botanical composition. Brill. https://doi.org/10.3920/9789086867554_028 91 Cosyns, E., Claerbout, S., Lamoot, I., & Hoffmann, M. (2005). Endozoochorous seed dispersal by cattle and horse in a spatially heterogeneous landscape. Plant Ecology, 178(2), 149–162. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11258-004-2846-3 Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora, CONSIL, 206 OJ L (1992). http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/1992/43/oj Couvreur, M., Christiaen, B., Verheyen, K., & Hermy, M. (2004). Large herbivores as mobile links between isolated nature reserves through adhesive seed dispersal. Applied Vegetation Science, 7(2), 229 236. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1654-109X.2004.tb00614.x Cromsigt, J. P. G. M., Kemp, Y. J. M., Rodriguez, E., & Kivit, H. (2018). Rewilding Europe’s large grazer community: How functionally diverse are the diets of European bison, cattle, and horses? Restoration Ecology, 26(5), 891–899. https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.12661 De Blust, G. (2018). PAS-gebiedsanalyse in het kader van herstelmaatregelen voor BE2100015: Kalmthoutse Heide. Instituut voor Natuur- en Bosonderzoek. https://doi.org/10.21436/inbor.14113935 De Schrijver, A., De Frenne, P., Ampoorter, E., Van Nevel, L., Demey, A., Wuyts, K., & Verheyen, K. (2011). Cumulative nitrogen input drives species loss in terrestrial ecosystems. Global Ecology and Biogeography, 20(6), 803–816. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1466-8238.2011.00652.x Dejeante, R., Valeix, M., & Chamaillé-Jammes, S. (2024). Time-varying habitat selection analysis: A model and applications for studying diel, seasonal, and post-release changes. Ecology, 105(2), e4233. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.4233 Digitaal Vlaanderen. (2015). Digitaal Hoogtemodel Vlaanderen II, DTM, raster, 1 m | Do... Downloadtoepassing Digitaal Vlaanderen. https://download.vlaanderen.be/product/939 digitaal_hoogtemodel_vlaanderen_ii_dtm_raster_1_m Drewry, J. J., Cameron, K. C., & Buchan, G. D. (2008). Pasture yield and soil physical property responses to soil compaction from treading and grazing—A review. Australian Journal of Soil Research, 46(3), 237–256. https://doi.org/10.1071/SR07125 Edgar, P., Foster, J., & Baker, J. (2010). Reptile habitat management handbook. Amphibian and Reptile Conservation. 92 Ferreira, L., Celaya, R., Benavides, R., Jáuregui, B. M., García, U., Santos, A., García, R., Rodrigues, M., & Osoro, K. (2013). Foraging behaviour of domestic herbivore species grazing on heathlands associated with improved pasture areas. Livestock Science, 155, 373–383. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.LIVSCI.2013.05.007 Fleming, C. H., Fagan, W. F., Mueller, T., Olson, K. A., Leimgruber, P., & Calabrese, J. M. (2015). Rigorous home range estimation with movement data: A new autocorrelated kernel density estimator. Ecology, 96(5), 1182–1188. https://doi.org/10.1890/14-2010.1 Fleurance, G., Sallé, G., Lansade, L., Wimel, L., & Dumont, B. (2022). Comparing the effects of horse grazing alone or with cattle on horse parasitism and vegetation use in a mesophile pasture. Grass and Forage Science, 77(3), 175–188. https://doi.org/10.1111/gfs.12564 Fonstad, M. A., Dietrich, J. T., Courville, B. C., Jensen, J. L., & Carbonneau, P. E. (2013). Topographic structure from motion: A new development in photogrammetric measurement. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 38(4), 421–430. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3366 Frid, A., & Dill, L. (2002). Human-caused Disturbance Stimuli as a Form of Predation Risk. Conservation Ecology, 6(1). https://www.jstor.org/stable/26271862 Gordon, I. (1989). Vegetation community selection by ungulates on the Isle of Rhum. II: Vegetation community selection. Journal of Applied Ecology, 26, 53–64. https://doi.org/10.2307/2403650 Gordon, I. J., & Illius, A. W. (1989). Resource partitioning by ungulates on the Isle of Rhum. Oecologia, 79(3), 383–389. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00384318 Górecka-Bruzda, A., Jaworski, Z., Jaworska, J., & Siemieniuch, M. (2020). Welfare of Free-Roaming Horses: 70 Years of Experience with Konik Polski Breeding in Poland. Animals, 10(6), 1094. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10061094 Grant, S. A., Torvell, L., Smith, H. K., Suckling, D. E., Forbes, T. D. A., & Hodgson, J. (1987). Comparative Studies of Diet Selection by Sheep and Cattle: Blanket Bog and Heather Moor. Journal of Ecology, 75(4), 947–960. https://doi.org/10.2307/2260306 Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide. (n.d.). Over het Grenspark. Grenspark Kalmthoutse Heide. Retrieved 31 March 2026, from http://grensparkkalmthoutseheide.com/over-het-grenspark/ 93 Grootjans, A., Adema, E. B., Bekker, R., & Lammerts, E. (2008). Why Coastal Dune Slacks Sustain a High Biodiversity. Ecological Studies, 85–101. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-74002-5_6 Hagen, H. G. J. M. van der. (2022). Rabbits rule: Evaluating livestock grazing in coastal sand dunes of Meijendel, the Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.18174/575460 Hamza, M. A., & Anderson, W. K. (2005). Soil compaction in cropping systems: A review of the nature, causes and possible solutions. Soil and Tillage Research, 82(2), 121–145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2004.08.009 Hendler, R., Schütz, L., Rozhon, W., Bade, K., Hensen, H., Tischew, S., & Fischer, C. (2026). Movement behavior, space use and intraspecific interactions of cattle and horses: Their role as mobile links in grassland restoration. Ecological Processes, 15(1), 14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13717-026-00674 9 Henkin, Z., Ungar, E. D., & Dolev, A. (2012). Foraging behaviour of beef cattle in the hilly terrain of a Mediterranean grassland. The Rangeland Journal, 34(2), 163–172. https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ11096 Henning, K., Lorenz, A., von Oheimb, G., Härdtle, W., & Tischew, S. (2017). Year-round cattle and horse grazing supports the restoration of abandoned, dry sandy grassland and heathland communities by supressing Calamagrostis epigejos and enhancing species richness. Journal for Nature Conservation, 40, 120–130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2017.10.009 Hoffmann, M., Cosyns, E., & Lamoot, I. (2005). Large herbivores in coastal dune management: Do grazers do what they are supposed to do? Hollins, J. P. W., Fleming, C. H., Calabrese, J. M., Harris, L. N., Moore, J. S., Malley, B. K., Noonan, M. J., Fagan, W. F., Alston, J. M., & Hussey, N. E. (2024). Home range spillover in habitats with impassable boundaries: Causes, biases, and corrections using autocorrelated kernel density estimation (p. 2024.11.20.624379). bioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.11.20.624379 Hubbard, A. J., Foster, M. J., & Daigle, C. L. (2021). Social dominance in beef cattle—A scoping review. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 241, 105390. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105390 Illius, A. W., & Gordon, I. J. (1987). The Allometry of Food Intake in Grazing Ruminants. Journal of Animal Ecology, 56(3), 989–999. https://doi.org/10.2307/4961 94 INBO. (2020). Onderzoek van open tot halfopen, extensief begraasde natuurgebieden in Vlaanderen in functie van uitvoering, evaluatie en bijsturen van het natuurbeheer. Instituut Natuur-en Bosonderzoek. https://pureportal.inbo.be/nl/projects/research-from-open-to-semi-open-… grazed-nature-areas-i/ INBO. (2025). 2025_kuddes_collars_overzicht_r [Unpublished raw data]. Ingólfsdóttir, H. B., & Sigurjónsdóttir, H. (2008). The benefits of high rank in the wintertime—A study of the Icelandic horse. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 114(3), 485–491. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2008.04.014 Jakes, A. F., Jones, P. F., Paige, L. C., Seidler, R. G., & Huijser, M. P. (2018). A fence runs through it: A call for greater attention to the influence of fences on wildlife and ecosystems. Biological Conservation, 227, 310–318. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2018.09.026 Jones, C. G., Lawton, J. H., & Shachak, M. (1996). Organisms as Ecosystem Engineers. In F. B. Samson & F. L. Knopf (Eds), Ecosystem Management: Selected Readings (pp. 130–147). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-4018-1_14 Jones, M. L. M., Wallace, H. L., Norris, D., Brittain, S. A., Haria, S., Jones, R. E., Rhind, P. M., Reynolds, B. R., & Emmett, B. A. (2004). Changes in Vegetation and Soil Characteristics in Coastal Sand Dunes along a Gradient of Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition. Plant Biology, 6(5), 598–605. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2004-821004 Kays, R., Parsons, A. W., Baker, M. C., Kalies, E. L., Forrester, T., Costello, R., Rota, C. T., Millspaugh, J. J., & McShea, W. J. (2017). Does hunting or hiking affect wildlife communities in protected areas? Journal of Applied Ecology, 54(1), 242–252. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12700 Knight, C. M., Kenward, R. E., Gozlan, R. E., Hodder, K. H., Walls, S. S., & Lucas, M. C. (2009). Home range estimation within complex restricted environments: Importance of method selection in detecting seasonal change. Wildlife Research, 36(3), 213–224. https://doi.org/10.1071/WR08032 Kohler, F., Gillet, F., Reust, S., Wagner, H. H., Gadallah, F., Gobat, J.-M., & Buttler, A. (2006). Spatial and Seasonal Patterns of Cattle Habitat use in a Mountain Wooded Pasture. Landscape Ecology, 21(2), 281–295. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-005-0144-7 95 Komárková, M., Bartošová, J., & Dubcová, J. (2014). Age and group residence but not maternal dominance affect dominance rank in young domestic horses1,2. https://dx.doi.org/10.2527/jas.2014-7674 Kooijman, A. M., & Besse, M. (2002). The higher availability of N and P in lime-poor than in lime-rich coastal dunes in the Netherlands. Journal of Ecology, 90(2), 394–403. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2745.2001.00661.x Kristensen, J. Å., Buitenwerf, R., Berti, E., Hansen, O. L. P., Schowanek, S. D., Ejrnæs, R., Hansen, M. D. D., Olsen, K., Normand, S., & Svenning, J.-C. (2026). Space-use by feral cattle and horses shapes vegetation structure in a trophic rewilding area. Ecological Applications, 36(1), e70170. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.70170 Laidlaw, C. (2023). The behaviour of free-roaming herds of Highland cattle and Konik polski at Wicken Fen nature reserve [Thesis, Anglia Ruskin Research Online (ARRO)]. https://aru.figshare.com/articles/thesis/The_behaviour_of_free roaming_herds_of_Highland_cattle_and_Konik_polski_at_Wicken_Fen_nature_reserve/23762982/ 1 Lamoot, I. (2004). Foraging behaviour and habitat use of large herbivores in a coastal dune landscape. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/8442aa968e4722cc1c48cb35cc742a215… Lamoot, I., Callebaut, J., Degezelle, T., Demeulenaere, E., Laquière, J., Vandenberghe, C., & Hoffmann, M. (2004). Eliminative behaviour of free-ranging horses: Do they show latrine behaviour or do they defecate where they graze? Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 86(1), 105–121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2003.12.008 Lamoot, I., Meert, C., & Hoffmann, M. (2005). Habitat use of ponies and cattle foraging together in a coastal dune area. Biological Conservation, 122, 523–536. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.BIOCON.2004.09.009 Lawton, J. H., & Jones, C. G. (1995). Linking Species and Ecosystems: Organisms as Ecosystem Engineers. In C. G. Jones & J. H. Lawton (Eds), Linking Species & Ecosystems (pp. 141–150). Springer US. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-1773-3_14 96 Lees, A. C., & Bell, D. J. (2008). A conservation paradox for the 21st century: The European wild rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus, an invasive alien and an endangered native species. Mammal Review, 38(4), 304–320. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2907.2008.00116.x Leten, M., Van den Bussche, W., Provoost, S., Bollengier, B., Meeus, S., & Einde, S. (2022). The orchid flora of the Westhoek nature reserve (Belgium, De Panne) and the Flemish dunes revisited …. 28, 1–223. Letty, J., Besnard, A., Chatelain, N., Choquet, R., Holé, G., Léonard, Y., Vannesson, R., & Marchandeau, S. (2024). RHDV2 outbreak reduces survival and juvenile recruitment, causing European rabbit population collapse. Ecosphere, 15(9), e70003. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.70003 Linnartz, L., & Linnartz-Nieuwdorp, E. (2017). The social organisation of natural herds of koniks (Equus caballus): Subordinate stallions, rule or exception? Lisa Nash, H., Song, G. K., & Price, E. O. (1987). Head partitions facilitate feeding by subordinate horses in the presence of dominant pen-mates. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 19(1), 179–182. https://doi.org/10.1016/0168-1591(87)90214-0 López, C. L., Celaya, R., Ferreira, L. M. M., García, U., Rodrigues, M. A. M., & Osoro, K. (2019). Comparative foraging behaviour and performance between cattle and horses grazing in heathlands with different proportions of improved pasture area. Journal of Applied Animal Research, 47(1), 377–385. https://doi.org/10.1080/09712119.2019.1649679 Lovász, L., Fages, A., & Amrhein, V. (2021). Konik, Tarpan, European wild horse: An origin story with conservation implications. Global Ecology and Conservation, 32, e01911. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2021.e01911 Lunt, P., Leigh, J., McNeil, S., & Gibb, M. (2021). Using Dartmoor ponies in conservation grazing to reduce Molinia caerulea dominance and encourage germination of Calluna vulgaris in heathland vegetation on Dartmoor, UK. Conservation Evidence Journal, 18, 25–30. https://doi.org/10.52201/CEJ18SVSR7750 Martínez, M. L., & Psuty, N. P. (Eds). (2004). Coastal Dunes (Vol. 171). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-74002-5 Maun, M. A. (2009). The Biology of Coastal Sand Dunes. OUP Oxford. 97 McInturff, A., Xu, W., Wilkinson, C. E., Dejid, N., & Brashares, J. S. (2020). Fence Ecology: Frameworks for Understanding the Ecological Effects of Fences. BioScience, 70(11), 971–985. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaa103 Mullen, R. B. (1902). The Galloway cattle. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/37581 Nathan, R., Getz, W. M., Revilla, E., Holyoak, M., Kadmon, R., Saltz, D., & Smouse, P. E. (2008). A movement ecology paradigm for unifying organismal movement research. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 105(49), 19052–19059. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0800375105 Natura2000 | de gebieden. (n.d.). Retrieved 18 March 2026, from https://www.natura2000.vlaanderen.be/gebied Noonan, M. J., Tucker, M. A., Fleming, C. H., Akre, T. S., Alberts, S. C., Ali, A. H., Altmann, J., Antunes, P. C., Belant, J. L., Beyer, D., Blaum, N., Böhning-Gaese, K., Cullen, L., Paula, R. C. de, Dekker, J., Drescher-Lehman, J., Farwig, N., Fichtel, C., Fischer, C., … Calabrese, J. M. (2019). A comprehensive analysis of autocorrelation and bias in home range estimation. Ecological Monographs, 89(2), e01344. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecm.1344 Northrup, J. M., Vander Wal, E., Bonar, M., Fieberg, J., Laforge, M. P., Leclerc, M., Prokopenko, C. M., & Gerber, B. D. (2022). Conceptual and methodological advances in habitat-selection modeling: Guidelines for ecology and evolution. Ecological Applications, 32(1), e02470. https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2470 Olff, H., Vera, F. W. M., Bokdam, J., Bakker, E. S., Gleichman, J. M., de Maeyer, K., & Smit, R. (1999). Shifting Mosaics in Grazed Woodlands Driven by the Alternation of Plant Facilitation and Competition. Plant Biology, 1(2), 127–137. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1438-8677.1999.tb00236.x Pasicka, E. (2013). POLISH KONIK HORSE – CHARACTERISTICS AND HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF NATIVE DESCENDANTS OF TARPAN. Piessens, K., & Hermy, M. (2006). Does the heathland flora in north-western Belgium show an extinction debt? Biological Conservation, 132(3), 382–394. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2006.04.032 Plassmann, K., Jones, M. L. M., & Edwards-Jones, G. (2010). Effects of long-term grazing management on sand dune vegetation of high conservation interest. Applied Vegetation Science, 13(1), 100–112. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1654-109X.2009.01052.x 98 Popp, A., & Scheibe, K. (2014). THE ECOLOGICAL INFLUENCE OF LARGE HERBIVORES - BEHAVIOR AND HABITAT UTILIZATION OF CATTLE AND HORSES. Applied Ecology and Environmental Research, 12, 681–693. https://doi.org/10.15666/AEER/1203_681693 Porter, V., Alderson, L., Hall, S. J. G., & Sponenberg, D. P. (2016). Mason’s World Encyclopedia of Livestock Breeds and Breeding, 2 Volume Pack. CABI. Powers, R. F., Andrew Scott, D., Sanchez, F. G., Voldseth, R. A., Page-Dumroese, D., Elioff, J. D., & Stone, D. M. (2005). The North American long-term soil productivity experiment: Findings from the first decade of research. Forest Ecology and Management, Forest Soils Research: Theory, Reality and Its Role in TechnologY, 220(1), 31–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2005.08.003 Pratt, R. M., Putman, R. J., Ekins, J. R., & Edwards, P. J. (1986). Use of Habitat by Free-Ranging Cattle and Ponies in the New Forest, Southern England. Journal of Applied Ecology, 23(2), 539–557. https://doi.org/10.2307/2404035 Provoost, S., & Declerck, L. (2021). Early scrub development in De Westhoek coastal dunes (Belgium). Folia Geobotanica, 55(4), 315–332. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12224-020-09385-1 Provoost, S., Jones, M. L. M., & Edmondson, S. E. (2011). Changes in landscape and vegetation of coastal dunes in northwest Europe: A review. Journal of Coastal Conservation, 15(1), 207–226. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11852-009-0068-5 Provoost, S., Paredis, R., Jansen, J., Hecke, B. V., Vercruysse, W., Bosteels, Y., Vandendriessche, J., & Van Lierop, F. (2020). Beheerevaluatie kust 2. Eindrapport periode 2020-2022. Vlaanderen.be. https://www.vlaanderen.be/publicaties/beheerevaluatie-kust-2-eindrappor… Provoost, Sam, Van Gompel, Wouter, Feys, Simon, Vercruysse, Ward, Packet, Jo, Van Lierop, Frederic, Adams, Yves, & Denys, Luc. (2010). Permanente inventarisatie van de natuurreservaten aan de kust: Eindrapport periode 2007-2010 (INBO.R.2010.19; p. 171). Instituut voor Natuur- en Bosonderzoek (INBO). Putfarken, D., Dengler, J., Lehmann, S., & Härdtle, W. (2008). Site use of grazing cattle and sheep in a large-scale pasture landscape: A GPS/GIS assessment. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 111, 54–67. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.APPLANIM.2007.05.012 99 Putman, R., Pratt, R., Ekins, J., & Edwards, P. (1987). Food and feeding behaviour of cattle and ponies in the New Forest, Hampshire. Journal of Applied Ecology, 24, 369–380. https://doi.org/10.2307/2403881 Rech, B. J., Buitenwerf, R., Ruggiero, R., Trepel, J., Waltert, M., & Svenning, J.-C. (2025). What moves large grazers? Habitat preferences and complementing niches of large herbivores in a Danish trophic rewilding area. Environmental Management, 75(7), 1665–1679. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-025-02164-8 Rivero, M. J., Grau-Campanario, P., Mullan, S., Held, S. D. E., Stokes, J. E., Lee, M. R. F., & Cardenas, L. M. (2021). Factors Affecting Site Use Preference of Grazing Cattle Studied from 2000 to 2020 through GPS Tracking: A Review. Sensors, 21(8), 2696. https://doi.org/10.3390/s21082696 Roem, W. J., & Berendse, F. (2000). Soil acidity and nutrient supply ratio as possible factors determining changes in plant species diversity in grassland and heathland communities. Biological Conservation, 92(2), 151–161. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0006-3207(99)00049-X Schaich, H., Szabó, I., & Kaphegyi, T. A. M. (2010). Grazing with Galloway cattle for floodplain restoration in the Syr Valley, Luxembourg. Journal for Nature Conservation, 18(4), 268–277. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2009.12.001 Schrama, M., Veen, G. F. (Ciska), Bakker, E. S. (Liesbeth), Ruifrok, J. L., Bakker, J. P., & Olff, H. (2013). An integrated perspective to explain nitrogen mineralization in grazed ecosystems. Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics, 15(1), 32–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ppees.2012.12.001 Senft, R. L. (1989). Hierarchical foraging models: Effects of stocking and landscape composition on simulated resource use by cattle. Ecological Modelling, 46(3), 283–303. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-3800(89)90023-9 Senft, R. L., Coughenour, M. B., Bailey, D. W., Rittenhouse, L. R., Sala, O. E., & Swift, D. M. (1987). Large Herbivore Foraging and Ecological Hierarchies. BioScience, 37(11), 789–799. https://doi.org/10.2307/1310545 100 Sibbald, A. M., Hooper, R. J., McLeod, J. E., & Gordon, I. J. (2011). Responses of red deer (Cervus elaphus) to regular disturbance by hill walkers. European Journal of Wildlife Research, 57(4), 817 825. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10344-011-0493-2 Sigurjónsdóttir, H., Dierendonck, M. van, Snorrason, S., & Thórhallsdóttir, A. (2003). Social relationships in a group of horses without a mature stallion. Behaviour, 140(6), 783–804. https://doi.org/10.1163/156853903322370670 Silva, I., Fleming, C. H., Noonan, M. J., Alston, J., Folta, C., Fagan, W. F., & Calabrese, J. M. (2022). Autocorrelation-informed home range estimation: A review and practical guide. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 13(3), 534–544. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.13786 Smit, C., Ruifrok, J. L., van Klink, R., & Olff, H. (2015). Rewilding with large herbivores: The importance of grazing refuges for sapling establishment and wood-pasture formation. Biological Conservation, 182, 134–142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2014.11.047 Spedener, M., Tofastrud, M., Austrheim, G., & Zimmermann, B. (2024). A Grazer in a Browser’s Habitat: Resource Selection of Foraging Cattle in Productive Boreal Forest. Rangeland Ecology & Management, 93, 15–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rama.2023.12.004 Tahmasebi Kohyani, P., Bossuyt, B., Bonte, D., & Hoffmann, M. (2008). Grazing as a management tool in dune grasslands: Evidence of soil and scale dependence of the effect of large herbivores on plant diversity. Biological Conservation, 141(6), 1687–1694. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2008.04.010 Tjitze van Vuure. (2014). Van kaikan tot konik: Feiten en beeldvorming rond het Europese wilde paard en de Poolse konik [PhD]. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Tofastrud, M., Devineau, O., & Zimmermann, B. (2019). Habitat selection of free-ranging cattle in productive coniferous forests of south-eastern Norway. Forest Ecology and Management, 437, 1 9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2019.01.014 Tucker, M. A., Böhning-Gaese, K., Fagan, W. F., Fryxell, J. M., Van Moorter, B., Alberts, S. C., Ali, A. H., Allen, A. M., Attias, N., Avgar, T., Bartlam-Brooks, H., Bayarbaatar, B., Belant, J. L., Bertassoni, A., Beyer, D., Bidner, L., van Beest, F. M., Blake, S., Blaum, N., … Mueller, T. (2018). Moving in the Anthropocene: Global reductions in terrestrial mammalian movements. Science, 359(6374), 466 469. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aam9712 101 Vera, F. W. M. (2000). Succession, the climax forest and the role of large herbivores. In Grazing ecology and forest history (pp. 13–60). https://doi.org/10.1079/9780851994420.0013 von Müller, A. R., Renison, D., & Cingolani, A. M. (2017). Cattle landscape selectivity is influenced by ecological and management factors in a heterogeneous mountain rangeland. The Rangeland Journal, 39(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ15114 Vriens, L., Bosch, H., De Knijf, G., De Saeger, S., Guelinckx, R., Oosterlynck, P., Van Hove, M., & Paelinckx, D. (2011). De biologische waarderingskaart: Biotopen en hun verspreiding in vlaanderen en het Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest. Instituut voor Natuur- en Bosonderzoek. Vries, H. D., Dierendonck, M. C. V., & Schilder, M. B. H. (1994). An Analysis of Dominance, Its Behavioural Parameters and Possible Determinants in a Herd of Icelandic Horses in Captivity. Netherlands Journal of Zoology, 45(3–4), 362–385. https://doi.org/10.1163/156854295X00366 Wallisdevries, M. F. (1996). Nutritional Limitations of Free-Ranging Cattle: The Importance of Habitat Quality. Journal of Applied Ecology, 33(4), 688–702. https://doi.org/10.2307/2404940 Wallisdevries, M. F., & Van Swaay, C. A. m. (2006). Global warming and excess nitrogen may induce butterfly decline by microclimatic cooling. Global Change Biology, 12(9), 1620–1626. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2006.01202.x Webb, N. r. (1998). The traditional management of European heathlands. Journal of Applied Ecology, 35(6), 987–990. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2664.1998.tb00020.x Westoby, M. J., Brasington, J., Glasser, N. F., Hambrey, M. J., & Reynolds, J. M. (2012). ‘Structure-from Motion’ photogrammetry: A low-cost, effective tool for geoscience applications. Geomorphology, 179, 300–314. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2012.08.021 Wright, J. P., & Jones, C. G. (2006). The Concept of Organisms as Ecosystem Engineers Ten Years On: Progress, Limitations, and Challenges. BioScience, 56(3), 203–209. https://doi.org/10.1641/0006 3568(2006)056%5B0203:TCOOAE%5D2.0.CO;2 Zielke, L., Wrage-Mönnig, N., Müller, J., & Neumann, C. (2019). Implications of Spatial Habitat Diversity on Diet Selection of European Bison and Przewalski’s Horses in a Rewilding Area. Diversity, 11(4), 63. https://doi.org/10.3390/d11040063