Did you know that sheep are masters of soil improvement? By grazing they keep weeds under control, their dung is natural fertilizer for the soil and the seeds they carry along in their wool support biodiversity. Shepherd Daniel looks after his flock every day, helped by his dog Lily, on the wonderful heathland of the Utrecht Ridge national park.
The shepherd's job is one of the world's oldest professions. Archaeological digs show that people were keeping sheep in the Netherlands as early as between 3,500 and 300 years BC. At the Schaapskudde Doorn (the Doorn herd), you can sign up to watch the ancient trade in action and discover the art of sheep-herding.