11th August 2020
On the eve of the traditional grouse shooting season, rural communities have been gearing up to make the best of the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Plans have been put in place to ensure that restaurants receive the first grouse from the moors tomorrow. A widespread safety initiative, including the use of personal protection […]
10th August 2020
University of Northampton researchers conduct wide-ranging survey into economic and social effects of the sport on moorland communities Professor Simon Denny and Tracey Latham-Green of the Institute for Social Innovation and Impact at the University of Northampton have conducted a new study into the economic and social effects of integrated moorland management – including grouse […]
7th August 2020
Rural communities and businesses are stepping up their efforts to ensure extra safety measures are in place to enable the traditional rural shooting season to go ahead, starting with grouse on August 12th. The provision of shooting makes a £2billion contribution to the UK economy and supports thousands of jobs in fragile employment areas. Up […]
5th August 2020
Date: 31 July 2020 Introduction This document outlines the principles for Covid safe operation of game shoots in England through reference to relevant Government guidance and regulation. It has been produced to assist those managing game shoots to think about and manage the risk posed by COVID-19. It is not exhaustive, and each shoot will […]
5th August 2020
A £1.5m restoration project in Yorkshire has provided valuable protection for the local peatland and its ability to combat climate change. The development spans 1,414 hectares, equivalent to 1,724 football pitches. The project in Middlesmoor, Upper Nidderdale was undertaken in collaboration between the landowners and Yorkshire Peat Partnership, an organisation founded under Yorkshire Wildlife Trust […]
4th July 2020
The curlew is one of the UK’s most endangered bird species. Yet it is thriving on grouse moors thanks to skilled land management. Tom Orde-Powlett, Moorland Association vice-chairman and land manager at Bolton Castle estate explains on Radio 4’s Today programme why the curlew is doing so well on heather moorland.
2nd July 2020
A dossier of new evidence on peatland protection has highlighted a raft of scientific findings that could help shape future conservation of some of the UK’s most iconic landscapes. New research on key issues including carbon storage, water quality, biodiversity and wildfire reveals that conclusions drawn from previous science are now out of date and […]
1st July 2020
Peregrine falcons have thrived on grouse moors during lockdown, with successful fledging taking place in three nests across the Forest of Bowland and Peak District. The fledging in the Forest of Bowland took place on a private estate which is managed for red grouse and other important moorland birds. A total of four chicks […]
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. […]
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.
ROBUST AND RESILIENT RAPTOR POPULATIONS ON NORTH YORK MOORS New data published by the Moorland Association shows a flourishing raptor population on grouse moors in the North York Moors for the third year running. Spaunton Estate saw a total of 1,552 raptors in its annual counts, double the number recorded in 2018. The most populous species of raptor is Buzzards – 726 sightings were […]
SECOND TIME LUCKY FOR NIDDERDALE BARN OWLS Gamekeepers in Nidderdale are celebrating the successful fledging of three barn owls after the sad loss of two chicks last year. In 2020 in the same barn three owlets hatched but two of the three fell to their death from a ledge several metres up. To improve the beautiful and protected birds’ chances this year, […]
