Our e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting has just moved past the 29,000 signature barrier.
I’m very hopeful that in the 10 days up to and including (at least some of) 21 January, we will pass 30,000 too.
There are now 16 constituencies where more than 100 people have signed to ban driven grouse shooting. This is the list:
Calder Valley 392 signatures – flooded over the Christmas break for the third time in four years, and the local Ban the Burn campaign blames some of that on the grouse moor of Walshaw Moor which sits above the town of Hebden Bridge.
Isle of Wight 136 signatures – quite a large constituency with a strong Liberal representation
Stroud 125 signatures – includes lots of WWT Slimbridge staff and members
Penrith and the Borders 124 signatures – constituency of the defra minister Rory Stewart who could actually do something on this subject
North Norfolk 123 signatures – a hotbed of RSPB members and birders
High Peak 121 signatures – includes much of the Peak District and ha seen two hen Harrier Day rallies
Brighton Pavilion 117 signatures – constituency of the only Green MP, the wonderful Caroline Lucas
Westmorland and Lonsdale 116 signatures – constituency of the Liberal leader Tim Farron and a flood victim as well as being in grouse moor country
Bristol West 115 signatures – we Bristolians are wonderful!
Skipton and Ripon 115 signatures – right in grouse shooting country
Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey 112 signatures – the only non-English constituency with over 100 signatures – SNH base and RSPB regional office as well as being in grouse shooting land
South Cambs 112 signatures – many RSPB staff and on the edge of Cambridge with all its wildlife NGOs
Sheffield Central 104 signatures – an interesting exception to the rule that urban Labour constituencies score low
Cambridge 102 signatures – home of many wildlife NGOs and staff from the RSPB
South Norfolk 101 signatures – lots of birders
Torridge and West Devon 101 signatures – lovely place!
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Given I don’t live there presently I’m “petitioning” on behalf of fellow South Yorkshire residents!!! I think you’re being a little unfair on Sheffield birders, cf your comment on South Norfolk. The Sheffield Bird Study Group , Sorby Natural History Society and the local RSPB members group all have large and active memberships. I suspect they are all more than aware of the problems with raptor persecution in the nearby Peak Park which is a “local patch” in many senses. The SBSG in particular have a long track record with bird of prey protection introducing, as they did, a Goshawk protection scheme well before any RSPB involvement and all have been active in Hen Harrier work too. The figure does suggest many of these supporters live “within” the City which I can’t comment on without looking at the constituency boundary and housing distribution. I’d actually suggest the Sheffield area carries a much greater potential for support than the current figure indicates, as might North Derbyshire too. Rant over, Sir!
John – all I said was that Sheffield is exceptional! You seem to agree. best wishes
Interfering townies. Lol. Etc.
Glad to see my South Norfolk there.
John & Mark. I live in Sheffield Central and can, as is the case with the urban centres of many northern towns, see heather moor from the end of my road which I can walk to (as I frequently do for both work and pleasure) within reasonably short order. I’m very glad to say they happen to be heather moors that haven’t seen any management for grouse in many decades (last seeing a gamekeeper in dates ranging from the 1930′-1950’s) and, not entirely surprisingly, still support Red Grouse. They also seem to be doing rather well for many other upland species; http://www.birdguides.com/webzine/article.asp?a=5443. I totally agree with your comments on SBSG John; sterling work particularly in the early days of Goshawk recolonisation, sadly now largely undone by an intensification of grouse moor management (most gallingly on National Trust land in the High Peak) since the late 1990’s.
Jim – very good, thank you.
C’mon North Derbs’ and South Yorks’. This is your patch and particularly relevant North of Strines. Please sign the petition.
Bristol West 115 signatures.
I think I may be responsible for a fair proportion of these, plus a few in other Bristol constituencies. Not to mention a few more further afield. Its simple, just engage friends, relatives, neighbours and work colleagues in conversation. Explain the issues – flooding has unfortunately helped – and when they understand they are more than willing to sign. I’m afraid people are just not aware of the issues enough to feel involved.
Lincolnshire!!! Come on guys, I know we are laid back here but I think you might be leaving it a tad late…….sign up NOW! Don’t let the side down.
My guess is obviously doomed. So much for the wisdom of crowds!
Just out of interest Mark, what’s the figure for Thirsk and Malton?
89
89 signatures according to the map Nick; http://petitionmap.unboxedconsulting.com/?petition=104441
Thanks Jim
It’s easy enough to look it up yourself! 89 to save you and Mark the trouble.
I’m very depressed that in an area known for its interest in birds, North Norfolk has so few committed people willing to take the most obvious and easiest course of action – sign the ON LINE petition to ban grouse shooting.
Don’t worry about all the ifs and buts – just do it.
17th Well done South Norwich also over 100!