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Letters
Letters written and sent by the Moorland Association on key moorland management issues.


Wildfires, Waste, and Weak Oversight: Our Letter to The Times
Natural England’s cost-blind decisions face Treasury scrutiny. Without proving value for money, reform - or even abolition - could soon follow.

Andrew Gilruth
Sep 16, 20251 min read


Curlew Survival Hinges on Predator Control: Our Letter to The Guardian
Curlews are vanishing fast. Predator control proves vital, yet delay and denial risk their extinction. Saving Britain’s curlews means acting now.

Andrew Gilruth
Sep 15, 20251 min read


RSPB Campaign Inciting Assaults Against Gamekeepers: Our Letter to RSPB CEO
The RSPB’s continued demonisation of gamekeepers has led to an exchange of letters between the charity’s CEO and the Moorland Association.

Andrew Gilruth
Aug 13, 20254 min read


Is the RSPB Claiming Credit for Others’ Conservation Work? Our Letter to The Sunday Times
The RSPB’s claim that its moorland rewetting programme is boosting bird numbers, including curlew, at its Dove Stone reserve may reflect optimism bias.

Andrew Gilruth
Aug 12, 20251 min read


Wildfire Warnings Ignored, Risks Rising: Our Letter to the Health and Safety Executive
We've recently written to Sarah Albon, Chief Executive of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), sharing our serious concerns about wildfire risk and asking for the HSE to help prevent disaster.

Andrew Gilruth
Jul 17, 20257 min read


Stop Lecturing Rural Britain - Start Listening to It: Our Letter to The Guardian
We sent this letter to The Guardian in response to their piece - 'The place is bleached, a dead zone’: how the UK’s most beloved landscapes became biodiversity deserts.

Andrew Gilruth
Jul 16, 20252 min read


No, Chris - Sheep Didn’t Ruin Dartmoor: Our Letter to The Guardian
Chris Packham’s criticism of sheep farming on Dartmoor is both irresponsible and misleading.

Andrew Gilruth
Jul 16, 20252 min read


How Happy Is the Prime Minister With Natural England? Our Letter to Mary Creagh MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Nature
The letter emphasizes our concerns regarding the deterioration of the relationship between the countryside and Natural England.

Andrew Gilruth
Jul 14, 20258 min read


Grouse Moors Are Not Empty - They’re Thriving: Our Letter to The Guardian
Mark Cocker’s bleak portrayal of the moor at Combs Moss as a vast emptiness that “stirs a deep melancholy” is not just inaccurate - it’s irresponsible.

Andrew Gilruth
Jul 8, 20252 min read


Hen Harrier Recovery Ignored as RSPB Pushes Misleading Claims: Our Letter to The Telegraph
We respond to a recent piece in The Telegraph - 'Protected hen harriers being killed off in record numbers'.

Andrew Gilruth
Jun 30, 20251 min read


If Moscar Moor Is ‘Trashed’, Why Do the Curlew Keep Coming Back? Our Letter to The Sheffield Star
Is Moscar Moor really "trashed"? Our letter challenges activist claims with hard evidence on bird numbers, wildfire science, and the proven benefits of traditional moorland management.

Andrew Gilruth
Jun 23, 20252 min read


Defra's Actions Are Increasing The Wildfire Risk: Our Letter in The Telegraph
Defra must be congratulated on its commitment to protecting our uplands, yet its actions are resulting in them going up in flames.

Andrew Gilruth
Apr 15, 20251 min read
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