Legal battle 'threatens England's grouse moors'

Landowners have warned that grouse shooting is under threat from legal action aimed at stopping the practice of burning heather on a leading estate.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/countryside/9061388/Legal-battle-threatens-Englands-grouse-moors.html

4 comments:

Andrew Huyton said...: Incredible how one sided reporting can be, this is why I no longer buy newpapers. I'm sure we must have records to prove more than one pair of golden plover bred prior to 2002. The alterations to the land were illegally carried out I fail to see how they can argue that case, to say nothing of the previous case they were found guilty of. I also fail to see a complete ban, I'm sure Natural England are pressing for 25yrs instead of 18 between burns or have I misread the english language for the last 40yrs? So he piles all that money in for no return?? Don't make me laugh and what benefit does an increase in grouse have if they are shot!! Telegraph a conservative newspaper by any chance?; 7:58 pm
ChrisJB said...: One pair of golden plover in 2002 is utter drivel (along with the bulk of this report). I first started walking up there in the late 1980's and there has always been plenty.

Chris; 8:10 pm
David Sutcliffe said...: Thanks for posting that Steve. Interesting!

I appreciate the work of many landowners to maintain and improve/extend the heather moors - hopefully for a diversity of wildlife as well as Red Grouse.

If 25 years between burns was implemented then this would, I think, produce denser areas of long heather. This would obviously be a plus to encourage breeding Hen Harriers and Short-eared Owls.

Now that would be a plus for British wildlife at Walshaw.; 9:42 pm
Steve Cummings said...: May I suggest that folk should consider posting comments on the Telegraphs website to address the imbalance.; 6:20 pm