A Victory for Evidence: Grouse Gain Vital Protection Under New Licence
- Rob Beeson
- Nov 28
- 3 min read
In conservation, there is no substitute for tools that are proven to work. Effective land management relies on using these practical tools to deliver tangible results on the ground, and recent policy updates from Natural England represent a significant step forward.
Natural England has published the new General Licences (GL40, GL41, and GL42) which will come into effect from 2026. These licences govern the control of certain bird species for specific purposes, such as the conservation of native wildlife. One change, in particular, formally recognizes the crucial role that land managers play in protecting one of Britain's most iconic, endemic bird species.
A Landmark Change for Red Grouse Protection
The official conservation status of a species is critically important; it unlocks the vital management actions required for its survival. The most significant update in the new licences delivers this for one of our most cherished native birds. Under the new General Licence GL40, the Red Grouse is now formally listed as a "bird of conservation concern."
For land managers, this classification provides crucial clarity and justification for essential conservation work. Specifically, this new classification means:
Targeted Predator Control: It formally permits the control of generalist predators, such as carrion crows and magpies, which have a significant impact on ground-nesting birds.
A Clear Conservation Purpose: This control can now be undertaken specifically for the purpose of conserving Red Grouse populations, grounding the practice in an evidence-led objective.
Natural England has explained the rationale behind this decision, adding official weight to what practitioners have long understood. Their justification underscores both the scientific evidence and the unique ecological responsibility we have for this species:
"Although Red Grouse and some other birds on the list are classed as ‘green-listed’, Natural England has included them on this licence because of expert opinion that their favourable status may depend on continued predator control. Also, in 2024 the Red Grouse was formally recognised as a species endemic to Great Britain (& Ireland) found nowhere else in the world."
This science-led decision for Red Grouse is not an isolated case. It is the formal recognition of a principle demonstrated with stunning clarity in the fight to save another iconic bird: the Curlew.
The Bigger Picture: Predator Control is a Proven Tool for Wader Recovery
The principle of managing common, generalist predators to help vulnerable ground-nesting birds is supported by a wealth of scientific evidence from across the UK. The evidence for Curlew recovery presents a tale of two starkly different outcomes, hinging on one key factor: the management of generalist predators.
Success Through Active Management
Where integrated moorland management, including legal predator control, is implemented, the results are dramatic.
The decade-long Langholm Moor Demonstration Project, a comprehensive scientific study, found that restoring grouse moor management led to an average 10% annual increase in Curlew numbers.
Decline in the Absence of Management
The alternative is starkly illustrated on the Berwyn moorland, which includes the RSPB's Lake Vyrnwy reserve. Between 1983-85 and 2002, a period that saw the cessation of grouse moor management, Curlew were found on 57% fewer plots. During the same period, carrion crow numbers increased by an astonishing 526%.
These localised results are reflected at a national level. The current UK distribution map for breeding Curlew is almost a "mirror image" of the distribution of managed grouse moors - a strong correlation supported by numerous scientific studies that highlight these moors as vital strongholds for Curlew and other threatened waders.
The Way Forward: A Practical and Necessary Part of Modern Conservation
The new General Licences affirm that legal predator control is an essential, evidence-based tool for achieving measurable conservation outcomes.
While for some, the topic of controlling one species to benefit another can be uncomfortable, the scientific evidence and on-the-ground results are unequivocal.
It is a vital and effective technique for protecting vulnerable native wildlife from what the world-renowned ornithologist Professor Ian Newton has pointed out are often "unnaturally abundant" populations of generalist predators like crows and foxes.
For land managers serious about reversing biodiversity decline, the evidence is clear: proven tools like predator control are not just an option, but a responsibility.
