The five rare-breed Norfolk Horn and Oxford Down ewes, on loan from Mudchute City Farm, will be grazing the anthill site on the Heath’s Extension each day from 8am to 7pm until Monday, September 15.
The animals will be stabled locally overnight throughout the project.
Alderman and Sheriff Gregory Jones, chair of the City of London Corporation’s Hampstead Heath, Highgate Wood and Queen’s Park Committee, said: “The return of grazing sheep is a nod to Hampstead Heath’s rich heritage, while providing real benefits for biodiversity.
“These farmyard favourites help maintain a healthy mosaic of habitats without the need for heavy machinery that could damage these sensitive ecosystems, and by nibbling around the anthills they also help provide a natural food source for green woodpeckers.
“As a reminder, we ask visitors to keep dogs under effective control around the grazing area to ensure the safety and welfare of these animals.”
Last seen on the heath in the 1950s, the return of sheep revives a traditional land management practice that supports wildlife by controlling scrub and promoting plant diversity.
The project is being delivered by the City of London Corporation, which manages Hampstead Heath as a registered charity, in collaboration with the Heath & Hampstead Society, the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, and Heath Hands.
The sheep help maintain habitats without the use of heavy machinery and support biodiversity by creating conditions suitable for invertebrates and birds such as green woodpeckers.
Hampstead Heath is a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation and forms part of 11,000 acres of open space owned and protected by the City Corporation across London and southeast England.
The heath attracts around 8.1 million visits every year and has won a Green Flag Award every year since 1997.
It also offers a range of sports and leisure facilities, including three bathing ponds, a Lido, the newly refurbished Parliament Hill athletics track, and over a dozen pitches and courts.
