Wildfires, Westminster, and the Will to Win

This article first appeared in Shooting Times.

By the time you read this, Westminster will have debated Wild Justices petition to ban driven grouse shooting. It’s the third debate of its kind in less than a decade. But this time feels different.

Our opponents still can’t answer the most basic of questions, such what works better - for community, the environment and economy. In contrast we have continued to  collate yet more evidence of their folly.

The recent Westminster debate on wildfire was a turning point. It laid bare the scale of frustration with Natural England. One Peer called Natural England “not fit for purpose.” That wasn’t hyperbole. It was hard truth, shaped by lived experience and it resonated because it’s a view shared across both the uplands and Westminster.

When you see wildfire fuel loads increasing as a direct result of Natural England’s policies, and when those same policies are backed by weak science and enforced with blind inflexibility, it’s no wonder trust is broken.

This year’s wildfire season is already the worst on record. The Moorland Association has estimated these have already cost the nation more than £350 million.

Peatlands scorched. Wildlife displaced or killed. Communities threatened. And yet those promoting “fantasy conservation” cling to theories that are failing on the ground. You can’t argue with ash. Their experiments have collided with reality - and reality is burning.

Stewardship on the Ground

In stark contrast, those that manage the uplands; gamekeepers, estate staff, moor owners, have been doing the work. Quietly. Relentlessly. Effectively. Firebreaks. Cool burning. Predator control. Bracken management. Year-round conservation. This isn’t just about shooting. It’s about stewardship. Practical, proven, principled.

That’s why the Moorland Association’s work matters more than ever. As the next debate looms, it’s been joining other organisations in briefing MPs, correcting misinformation, and making sure the real-world consequences of bad policy aren’t ignored.

And the impact is clear. Visits to moors are increasing. MPs are seeing the work for themselves. And the penny is starting to drop: this landscape doesn’t manage itself.

In parallel, a major legal milestone is underway, a moor owner has filed a High Court claim for damages against United Utilities. It is holding them to account for moorland mismanagement that fuelled a devastating wildfire. This could set a precedent that poor decisions about land management have financial and legal consequences. It’s a wake-up call and not just for regulators.

But let’s be clear. Westminster debates are not the key battleground. The real action to protect driven grouse shooting and of the broader upland way of life is happening every day on the ground. It’s happening in conversations with MPs and local officials. In open days and site visits. In letters written. In evidence shared. This is a united front and it’s gathering pace.

Unity, Results and the Road Ahead

Over the last few years the upland community has responded to the challenge. It’s better briefed. Better organised. More connected. More vocal. This is a movement rooted in experience, not ideology. It knows what’s at stake, because it’s lived it.

We know the value of what we do. Over a million acres cared for. Globally rare habitats protected. Wader populations thriving where moors are managed. Jobs created. Rural communities sustained. And all of this, critically, delivered mostly through private investment - not public subsidy.

The pressure is working. Traction is growing. The voices of those who live and work on the moors are being heard. And that’s because people across the uplands have stopped assuming that common sense will prevail on its own. They’re making the case. Fact by fact, visit by visit, conversation by conversation.

So please don’t take your foot off the pedal. Every letter. Every invitation. Every word spoken in protection of what we do matters. The ears of policy makers are turning toward the uplands - not because of noise, but because of truth, unity, and undeniable results.

We’re not asking for favours. We’re asking for fairness. And we’ll keep going until we get it.

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