top of page
Nature & Wildlife
Latest news, advice and opinion concerning nature and wildlife on UK moorland.


FAQs: Grouse Moors and Bird Conservation
The conservation of Britain's upland birds requires evidence-based approaches that deliver real results. Managed grouse moors are proving that traditional land management and wildlife conservation can work hand in hand to protect species at risk.

Rob Beeson
Oct 30, 20254 min read


How Predation Threatens the Survival of Headstarted Curlews
New research shows most headstarted Curlews die within a week of release due to predation, highlighting the need for better habitat and predator management.

Rob Beeson
Oct 23, 20252 min read


VIDEO: Grey Partridge Reintroduction on Forest of Bowland Moorland
A look at the successful Grey Partridge reintroduction on the Forest of Bowland moorland, using traditional rearing under bantams by dedicated gamekeepers.

Rob Beeson
Oct 20, 20251 min read


Fighting Fires, Saving Birds, Sustaining Jobs: The Real Picture of Grouse Moor Management
Britain’s grouse moors support threatened birds, protect against wildfires, and sustain rural communities, revealing a far more complex story than critics suggest.

Rob Beeson
Oct 20, 20256 min read


VIDEO: A Wealth of Wildlife on a Yorkshire Dales Grouse Moor
The things you come across on a grouse moor. The pictures need few words. An adder, stoat, grey partridges and a greyhen. All filmed by gamekeepers.

Rob Beeson
Oct 16, 20251 min read


VIDEO: Controlling Bracken with Spraying & Controlled Burning
Richard Bailey from the Peak District Moorland Group shows how careful spraying and controlled burning are reversing bracken’s dominance and creating space for wildlife to flourish.

Rob Beeson
Sep 26, 20251 min read


The UK's Bird Populations Are Crashing - But Thriving Where Gamekeepers Work
Curlew, lapwing and golden plover thrive on managed grouse moors, where keeper-led conservation delivers rare bird success despite national declines.

Rob Beeson
Sep 24, 20251 min read


Black Grouse Breed in the North York Moors for the First Time in Nearly 200 Years
Black grouse have bred in the North York Moors for the first time in nearly 200 years, thanks to a pioneering reintroduction and habitat restoration project.

Rob Beeson
Sep 23, 20252 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


The Hidden Helpers in Red Grouse Digestion
Red grouse are famed for their ability to thrive on heather, a plant that makes up most of their diet. Heather is tough, woody, and full of fibre - not the easiest food to digest. A new study has revealed how grouse manage it.

Rob Beeson
Aug 29, 20251 min read


Prescribed Fire Helps Restore Heathland Bird Populations, Study Finds
A new study comparing two large heathlands in Europe has found that prescribed fire can significantly benefit bird species that rely on open heath habitats.

Rob Beeson
Aug 27, 20251 min read


FAQs: UK Upland Air Pollution – History, Harm and Healing
The UK’s uplands have faced a hidden crisis for centuries: severe air pollution. These areas suffered dramatically from industrial emissions, notably "acid rain" that wiped out vegetation and acidified rivers.

Rob Beeson
Aug 15, 20257 min read
bottom of page
