10th October 2020
Mark Cunliffe Lister, chairman of the Moorland Association, said: “The call for licensing of driven grouse shooting and the threat of a possible ban in future is both disproportionate and unnecessary. “Licensing of grouse shooting would add another expensive layer of bureaucracy that would not resolve wildlife crime and environmental issues that are already being […]
9th October 2020
Leading countryside organisations have today (Friday October 9) urged the Government to support a new blueprint for the shooting sector which aims to deliver a ‘game changing’ benefit for the environment. The guidelines provide the most comprehensive framework to date for the creation, management and restoration of habitat for wildlife. The blueprint has been adopted […]
5th October 2020
Grouse moor owners in the north of England have welcomed a special ‘lock down’ visitor – a golden eagle named Beaky that travelled from the south of Scotland. There have not been any breeding pairs in the wild in England for some years. The enormous bird, which can have a wing span of seven and […]
1st October 2020
Following publication of two reports from RSPB today (Oct 1), the Moorland Association, which represents moor owners and operators in England, issued the following statement. Amanda Anderson, Director of the Moorland Association, said: “The figures in relation to bird crime are a decrease on the figures issued last by the RSPB last year, when it […]
17th September 2020
Grouse moor owners today described a new report highlighting breeding success of raptors on moorland in the Peak District as ‘hugely encouraging’. In its 2020 Interim Report, the Peak District Bird of Prey Initiative (BOPI) announced encouraging breeding successes for several raptor species in the moorland areas of the Peak District, thanks to collaboration between […]
15th September 2020
The government announced exemptions to the rule of six for England which cover shooting (14th September) and other country sports. Any outdoor physical activity which requires a licence issued by a public body for the activity itself, or for equipment used during the activity, will be exempt from the gathering limits. For shooting, this means that […]
3rd September 2020
Natural England has recorded the best year for hen harrier breeding in England since Natural England’s hen harrier recovery project was established in 2002, with 60 chicks fledged from 19 nests across Northumberland, Yorkshire Dales, Cumbria and Lancashire in early summer 2020. The success has been down to a number of factors including high numbers […]
24th August 2020
As Defra prepares to announce England’s largest ever peatland restoration scheme as part of its Nature for Climate Fund, new research commissioned by Natural England from Newcastle University suggests the planned grant scheme needs to ensure that farmers and land managers have the right level of funding and greater control than previous schemes in order […]
20th August 2020
During April and May, 183 gamekeepers, shepherds and shoot managers reported witnessing incidents of gull predation on nests and chicks of three wader species, two of which (lapwing and curlew) are ‘red-listed’ as species of the highest conservation concern. In part, it is the abundance of these precious birds that has led to areas of […]
12th August 2020
The traditional grouse shooting season got underway today despite the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. A widespread safety initiative, including the use of personal protection equipment, social distancing measures and food hygiene measures, has been implemented to ensure adherence to government COVID-19 guidelines. Plans have been put in place to ensure that restaurants will […]
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.
National sky lantern ban needed, new coalition urges The government should act now and make the use of sky lanterns illegal, that’s the message from leading farming, environment, animal and fire organisations. The group made up of 18 agencies, including the Moorland Association, has written to Environment Minister Rebecca Pow to explain how the Government’s approach not to regulate sky lanterns is now […]
MOORLAND WILDFIRE WARNING FOR BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND FOLLOWING SPATE OF SEVERE WILDFIRES Gamekeepers and moorland managers who helped firefighters to tackle recent wildfires are warning the public of the continued risk of wildfire on moorland over the Bank Holiday weekend. There have been six major wildfires on moorland in the north of England since the start of the month. Many smaller fires are extinguished by gamekeepers without […]
