Ragwort is poisonous to some livestock, and horses may be grazing nearby. It is not an offence to grow it for the cinnabar moth, but it is illegal to allow it to spread. BWT maintenance teams aim, as far as possible, to pull it out before it flowers, to stop seeds blowing, as we don’t want to use herbicide unless absolutely necessary. Nettles are also controlled in the central grassland because they affect the quality of the hay cut, but elsewhere are left to benefit wildlife.