Mooove to bring back cows to the Cannock Chase Country Park

Staffordshire County Council, which runs the site, said 'habitats experts' believe the presence of cows will bring benefits the area.

The protected area, along with Bevin's Birches, lies with an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a Special Area of Conservation and is often frequented by dog walkers, bike riders and horses.

But the council has declared if it is left alone it will become overgrown affecting the views, the routes, wildlife and its heritage value.

At the moment park rangers use an array of methods to maintain the beauty spot including cutting heather, thinning trees, spraying and controlled burning.

But now cattle are being considered as a further measure.

Gill Heath, the council's communities chief, said: "The Chase is a very special place for people, wildlife and heritage. For centuries it was shaped by local people grazing livestock and this shaped the landscape we see today.

"Bringing grazing back could be a sustainable way to keep habitats in good condition, but we need to make sure that people can still enjoy the area and that other features of interest are also protected.

"We need people to help us shape the proposals so we get the best option."

Michael Copleston, regional development manager for wildlife charity RSPB, added: "Cannock Chase is an incredibly special place for nature and people, we were really pleased to hear from local residents and the wider communities that use and live in and around the Chase during the initial consultation last year.

"The RSPB is delighted to be involved in helping to find the right mix of management support and conservation tools that will help to ensure this precious landscape, habitats and important wildlife thrives.

"The open heath and woodland character of Cannock Chase inspires hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, so we are hoping to hear more from the wider communities at these drop-in sessions and through the online surveys on how they feel about these shared proposals that aim to find the best solutions for managing this valuable landscape."

People can submits views by visiting www.managingcannockchase.co.uk and completing an online survey before July 21.

There will also be a drop-in event at the John Leary Classroom near the Cannock Chase visitor centre and cafe on Marquis Drive on July 1.