20th April 2021
The Moorland Association is to ask the government to consider the success of curlew conservation measures on grouse moors as an example of how future agricultural policy could be framed, under the new Environmental Land Management Scheme. Ahead of World Curlew Day on April 21, a new survey from the Moorland Association reveals that the […]
6th April 2021
Now that Spring is here and the weather is improving, many of us will be looking forward to getting out and enjoying the beauty of the nature around us. Even more so this year as people are choosing a staycation in one of the north of England’s National Parks or Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. […]
16th March 2021
The Peak District Bird of Prey Initiative has published its 2020 final report, showing encouraging breeding successes for several bird of prey species in moorland areas of the Peak District, thanks to collaboration between landowners, gamekeepers and raptor workers during COVID-19. The report brings together data on key birds of prey nesting within the Dark […]
15th March 2021
The equivalent of more than 33,000 cars’ worth of carbon emissions is being removed from the atmosphere each year due to the pioneering environmental work of grouse moor estates in the north of England, a new survey has revealed. A survey of Moorland Association members has revealed the extent of conservation work undertaken in the […]
29th January 2021
The Moorland Association, whose members care for more than one million acres of moorland, issued the following statement in response to the Government’s announcement on new legislation regarding heather burning on blanket bog. Amanda Anderson, Director of the Moorland Association, said: “Heather burning is a vital tool for moor owners and managers who are heavily […]
25th January 2021
Hen harriers are being recorded on at least half of grouse moors in England, a new survey has revealed. The hen harrier is one of the most at-risk birds of prey in the UK and a government-led action plan is in operation to help boost the population. A survey conducted by the Moorland Association, which […]
6th January 2021
This stunning image of a rare short-eared owl taken on moorland above Scar House reservoir in Upper Nidderdale has won a wildlife photography competition. Entries to the competition came from all over the north of England and show the variety of native wildlife thriving in upland areas. The beautiful owl with its golden eyes and […]
19th December 2020
A four-year peatland restoration project in the North Pennines is delivering 3,343 acres of peatland restoration in a venture that will strengthen the region’s ability to fight climate change. Pennine PeatLIFE, funded by the EU LIFE programme with match funding from Yorkshire Water, United Utilities, Northumbrian Water and the Environment Agency, is led by the […]
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 […]
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.
RECORD HIGH FOR HEN HARRIER POPULATION IN ENGLAND Figures released today by Natural England show another rise in the population of Hen Harriers in England, with 141 chicks fledging successfully this year. This increase is nearly a further fifth from last year’s 119 chicks which was the highest number for a century. The data marks a decade of population growth for this very […]
Can using fire help protect our beautiful heather moors? There are many misconceptions about the way moorland is managed to help red grouse and other ground-nesting birds to nest and fledge their chicks successfully. Controlled burning has been carried out for generations for improving grazing, but the association between heather burning and grouse shooting means that campaigners constantly seek to portray it as […]
