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GROUSE MOOR MANAGEMENT LINCHPIN OF UPLAND ECONOMICS AND WILDLIFE

6th August 2011

gunsgrouseThe total economic impact of wild red grouse shooting in England and Wales for 2010, was in excess of £67.7 million and is set to increase this year with buoyant grouse shooting prospects, says the Moorland Association.

Over £52.5Million is spent by grouse moor owners on year-round management of some of Britain’s most treasured landscapes and iconic moorland wildlife. Businesses associated with grouse shooting benefit to the tune of an additional £15.2M*. These include game dealers, accommodation providers, equipment suppliers, catering establishments and transport operators and are often based in the most remote rural locations. The industry also supports 1,520 Full Time Equivalent jobs according to new research by PACEC.

The research found that 149 grouse moors in England and Wales support an estimated 700 Full Time Equivalent jobs directly and a further 820 jobs in related services and industries from dry stone wallers to clothing retailers. In a year when the wild birds have bred well, like this year, on average, each moor will run eight days of shooting between 12th of August and usually mid October, although the official grouse season runs until December 10th. However, those that let some, or all of their shooting days on a commercial basis, receive revenue to cover less than 40% of their annual costs on average, and just a handful of moors break even.

Explains Edward Bromet, Chairman of The Moorland Association: “With little chance of generating a profit, grouse moor management is not a business that many bank managers would encourage you to go into! However, the passion of moorland mangers for their sport and the deep desire to improve the landscape whilst it is in their care, means that many people profit in other ways. Famous for their wildlife and beauty, grouse moors are much less well known for their vital role in providing a wide range of free natural services, for example, clean water, flood protection, carbon storage, places for quiet recreation and the production of unique foods such as wild red grouse, heather fed lamb and heather honey.”

The red grouse is an iconic upland species, only found in the UK, and is a symbol of healthy moorland landscapes. This year, grouse moor managers were singled out for praise for their conservation work which has made the biggest contribution to the improvement in the environmental health of the country’s best wildlife sites – Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

Environment Minister Richard Benyon said: “The important activities carried out by moorland owners are of benefit to the whole country, making a significant contribution to the rural economy and looking after some of our most precious habitats. A lot of valuable work is being done to protect these traditional landscapes, helping maintain the popularity of this multimillion pound sport and providing a healthy home in which our wildlife can flourish.”

wemmergillrecipeNatural England’s Chief Executive, Dr Helen Phillips said: “Heather moorland, brought about by centuries of management for sheep and grouse, plays an essential role in maintaining the wildlife richness and much loved heather clad landscapes of Northern England. Natural England appreciates the very significant benefits that current best practice management on these grouse moors delivers and we applaud the members of the Moorland Association for their continued careful guardianship of these special places.

By providing essential habitat that may not be found elsewhere, SSSIs represent a life support system whose importance cannot be overstated, especially in the face of climate change.”

How is £52.5 M a year spent by estates?
From 2000 – 2010, Moorland Association members have:
• Brought heather back to 89 square miles of English moorlands -approximately the size of Birmingham – smashing the Government’s conservation target by 170% for this threatened habitat. Rarer than rainforest, seventy five percent of the world’s remaining heather is found in Britain.
• Plugged 1,250 miles of moorland drainage ditches to lock up carbon in the peaty soil, with a further 823 miles planned. When complete, work on the drains will be the equivalent in distance of London to Cyprus.
• Sown heather seed over 26 square miles.
• Improved or built 257 miles of traditional dry stone walls and fencing to help manage sheep grazing – roughly the distance from London to Penzance.
• Treated 65 square miles of invasive bracken to stop it swamping and killing other moorland plants.
• Created 4,485 mini moorland ponds that benefit insects, water vole and amphibians, as well as catching sediment and slowing water run-off, reducing flood risk downstream.
• Planted over 1.1 Million native trees in moorland gills, recreating lost habitat, especially for the rare Black Grouse.
• Employed 25% more gamekeepers to manage the heather and protect vulnerable ground nesting birds including curlew, lapwing and golden plover from predators. This has increased their populations by up to five times compared to moorland areas without gamekeepers.

– ends-

Free video footage and pictures
Stock images at high resolution of moorland wildlife and grouse moor management are available for use free of charge. Visit our picture gallery http://www.moorlandassociation.org/picture_gallery.asp and send requests to amanda@andersonpr.co.uk

To download free footage of grouse counting and grouse shooting please follow this link https://www.moorlandassociation.org/education.asp . Further footage of interviews with a moorland gamekeeper, game chef and general moorland vistas are available here http://www.basc.org.uk/en/media/basc-films/the-glorious-twelfth/ Call BASC for further details on: 01244 573052 or 01244 573031

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Did You Know?

75% of Europe’s remaining upland heather moorland is found in the UK – but this area declined alarmingly over the latter part of the last century. The Moorland Association was set up in 1986 to coordinate the efforts of moorland owners and managers to halt this loss, particularly in England and Wales.

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