26th June 2020
Gamekeepers and moorland managers in the Peak District have saved one of the most important moorland restoration projects in the country by successfully tackling a wildfire thought to be started deliberately. Fire broke out on the edge of Woodhead Moor in the Peak District, Derbyshire, late on Thursday. Twenty nine gamekeepers and staff from 11 […]
19th June 2020
The Countryside Alliance, Moorland Association and National Gamekeepers Organisation have welcomed the announcement by DEFRA that six General Licences for the control of wild birds will be reissued on a temporary basis ahead of new licences coming into force on 1 January 2021. The current General Licences had been due to expire on July 31st. […]
18th June 2020
Hopes of a successful breeding season rose today after moorland estates managed for red grouse across the North of England have reported an encouraging number of Hen Harrier nests on their land. These include six nests in Lancashire, four nests in Cumbria and two nests in Yorkshire. The dozen nests reported so far this year […]
2nd June 2020
Leading rural organisations have today joined forces to call on the Environment Secretary, George Eustice, to bring the chaotic wildlife licensing system run by Natural England back into central Government where it can be fixed. A new paper, ‘Wildlife Licensing in England: Chaos, Crisis and Cure’, written by the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation, the Moorland […]
29th May 2020
Amanda Anderson, Director of the Moorland Association, today urged that science and facts should dominate the debate over raptor persecution. We need greater use of official facts and science in the debate to end raptor persecution. No-one is denying there is an issue and the law should be applied rigorously where wildlife crime happens – […]
15th May 2020
Welcoming the North Yorkshire Police online day of action (15th May 2020) Amanda Anderson, Director of the Moorland Association, said: The Moorland Association is a partner in the national Operation Owl and fully supports its virtual day of action to raise awareness of raptor persecution. Our members have been actively working with police authorities for […]
15th May 2020
Responding to the RSPB press release – Bird of prey persecution crimewave during lockdown (14th May 2020) Amanda Anderson, Director of the Moorland Association, said: “Any confirmed reports of raptor persecution are cause for concern. The incidents specified near Leeds and York in the RSPB release are clearly not on grouse moors, while reports we […]
13th May 2020
The newly-elected chairman of the Moorland Association, Mark Cunliffe-Lister, said today that ‘listening to the science’ will demonstrate the vital contribution moorland makes in terms of habitat and biodiversity. Mr Cunliffe-Lister, who runs Swinton Estate in Yorkshire, said there is a tremendous opportunity to build on the multiple habitat and biodiversity successes that moorland management […]
31st March 2020
Moorland managers are ‘eyes and ears’ against wildfires Gamekeepers and moorland manages are stepping up their efforts to help prevent wildfires putting extra strain on emergency services. The unseasonably warm weather conditions are already resulting in daily wildfires, placing even greater pressure on our fire and rescue services. Belmont in Lancaster notorious for its history […]
12th March 2020
The Moorland Association today welcomes the development of the Firewise Communities initiative. Firewise Communities is an international programme based on research by the world’s leading fire experts on ignition of homes from wildfire. The programme encourages communities to work together to reduce the risk to homes from wildfire by taking practical steps in the area […]
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.
HEN HARRIER SURVIVAL RATE NEARLY DOUBLE IN RECOVERY SCHEME Survival rates for hen harriers reared and released through an innovative scheme to help the recovery of the species are better than for wild birds, it has been reported, as the trial enters its final year. Data from satellite-tagged hen harriers given a boost in the Brood Management Scheme trial shows the […]
Management of game assurance scheme transferring from BGA to Aim to Sustain The infrastructure of the assurance scheme built by British Game Assurance (BGA) will be transferred to Aim to Sustain, it was announced today (Monday 16 October). The transfer should be completed later in the Autumn and in the meantime, the scheme remains unchanged and open to new members. Following completion, Aim to Sustain will take […]
