A job for the future - film on promoting young talent in sheep farming released

Employees of the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE) publish film to promote young shepherds.

To support shepherds in their search for young talent, the team from the "Schäfer schützen" network has made a short film entitled "Warum es sich lohnt sich Schäfer*in zu werden" (Why it's worth becoming a shepherd).

"We wanted to show what the profession has to offer. What often gets lost in the discussion about the worries and hardships of the profession is why it's still worth becoming a shepherd," explains Ann-Kristin Saurma-Jeltsch, coordinator of the "Schäfer schützen" network.

The film takes interested parties to two sheep farms in the state of Brandenburg and shows why it is worth taking up the profession, what you need to bring to the job and what you can expect in the profession. The film is available on the HNEE YouTube channel.

Why sheep are important for nature
Sheep farms make an important contribution to nature conservation and climate protection. Many high-quality biotopes were only created through centuries of grazing with sheep and are now among the most species-rich in Europe. The selective feeding behaviour of sheep promotes the typical composition of valuable plant communities such as dry grasslands. Sheep also connect different biotopes, as they transport plant seeds and small animals (e.g. insects) from area to area in their fur.

However, there is a lack of young sheep, which has dramatic consequences for the biodiversity of open landscapes. According to a report by the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, the lack of grazing has led to a deterioration in the condition of many fauna and flora areas in recent years. With the decline of shepherds and their sheep, the conservation of biodiversity in grassland and heathland biotopes is therefore also massively jeopardised. This is why we need people who want to become shepherds.