Peak Hen Harrier Day 2016 is in Edale

19 Replies to “Peak Hen Harrier Day 2016 is in Edale”

1. I hope that Natalie Bennett persuades her party to send out a direct email to its 60,000 plus members asking them to support the petition. Not only do the greens object on principle to blood sports, if driven grouse shooting isn’t a prize example of environmental and ecological stupidity, plus privilege riding over public rights then I’m not sure what is. The greens could do with discussion and policy on the environment and conservation above and beyond the inevitable ‘carbon emissions’. What about it Natalie?

   1. Hear, hear.

   2. The GP mentions more than ‘carbon emissions’ but for some reason has not linked to the BDGS petition. (I did circulate a link to the second petition at a previous GP conference in Liverpool.)

      This extract is from Page 11 of Green Activist, April 2016, report from Harrogate Spring Conference:

      “…We believe that current legislation has too many conflicts and loopholes. We all know that it is a crime to release non-native species in to the wild, yet, nearly 50 million
      non-native game birds are released into our environment each year. The Brown hare is a Priority Species for Conservation and has its own BAP (Biodiversity Action Plan). However, it can be legally shot for sport all year round. The Animal Welfare Act 2006 states that it is an offence to knowingly cause an animal to suffer. Conversely, The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 allows snares to still be used in Great Britain.
      Can you spot the theme running through these examples? All three loopholes do seem
      to benefit the hunting and shooting industry, don’t they? Our goal, must be to create Wildlife and Habitat policy that benefits all wildlife and all people, not just a select few…”

      1. It’s a general criticism of the environmental movement that ‘action’ has been reduced to Climate Change campaigning and that essentially is about shouting at evil multi nationals and their lackey politicians. Funny the critical need to reduce carbon emissions according to FoE, RSPB, WWF etc has never quite translated into asking Joe public to drive smaller cars. It must be those nasty politicians that force people against their will to drive gas guzzlers, the public are after all mere victims and it wouldn’t do to risk their ire by suggesting they actually have personal responsibility would it? Much easier to go to Montreal, Copenhagen, Kyoto, Paris with a banner to wave at those nasty world leaders. I’m a member of the Scottish Green Party myself and if your environmental awareness is broader than ‘carbon emissions’ you are rather lonely in it and getting any focus on the terrible state of our land right here and now is a very very slow business. Is there any valid reason why the green parties north or south of the border haven’t yet fully supported the petition? Until they do so, and start doing an awful lot more about wildlife, over and wasteful consumption then I won’t retract my comments, not that I think that’ll worry them.

         1. I hope you get the chance to discuss with Natalie on Sunday Les, I will be wearing my Green Party vest and hope to see you in Edale too. My experience is that most greens I know are totally against any hunting for sport, drive small engine cars and cycle or go by train most of the time, just ask Natalie.

2. I’m only showing up if it rains (and proper rain, mind), far too sunny last time in the Goyt Valley, place was like a bally holiday camp. Now Derwentdale 2014, that was a proper Hen Harrier Day.

   PS (and I’m not sure in quite which order), 100 Club Update

   42. Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk
   43. Mid Norfolk
   44. Waveney

3. Also. There are 9 constituencies with variably sized portions falling within the Peak District. 7 are above the current national average of 57.5 signatures;

   High Peak – 155
   Derbyshire Dales – 135
   Sheffield Hallam – 120
   Colne Valley – 96
   Macclesfield -86
   Penistone and Stocksbridge – 83
   Staffordshire Moorlands – 62

   The two exceptions are;

   NE Derbyshire (which has a small fragment of the Peaks in its NW corner) – 52
   Oldham East and Saddleworth (essentially Oldham with Saddleworth Moor on its eastern fringe) –
   41

   So pretty solid support across the bulk of the National Park.

   1. Blimey Jim, I’m in NE Derbyshire. I guess they are both Labour constituencies (NE Derbyshire is Dennis Skinner’s) which is something Mark has blogged about already. I was at an event in Low Edges in Sheffield in 2012, in the Sheffield Wildlife Trust promotional tent and was visited by at least one labour MP. I spent an amount of time telling them about the benefits of banning driven grouse shooting. I had assumed that representing Labour they would jump at the chance of spoiling the fun of the uber-rich, however they just nodded politely and smiled, I suspect thinking that I was bonkers, that they did not really care about raptors and that real people were undergoing significant change in their lives due to “austerity.” A large portion of my angle at that time was that all game bird shooting should be banned, thus removing the need for shotguns in UK society, which I thought would appeal to family people and the police in light of mass killings etc. I genuinely believed that Labour supporters would enthusiastically latch onto this as a kind of political football they could kick into play to help them win popular support. I think I just came over as mad though.

      1. NE Derbys is Natascha Engel. Dennis has been MP for Bolsover since the War of the Roses 😉

         1. Dennis is my MP. I wrote to him anyway.
            Dear Sir
            Please take the time to read this letter because it concerns something very close to my heart and although on face value might seem quite trivial, the principles to be highlighted as well as the specifics of this submission to you, are actually a very important part of “the quality of life” of a great many working people. Traditionally workers from town and cities around the moors of Northern England have used these as a leisure resource. There is a long and well documented history of this. As a resident of NE Derbyshire and one of your constituents I humbly request that you raise the issues covered in this letter in parliament.
            When growing up I spent many happy days with my father going out fell-walking, actually all over the UK but often within the Peak District and amongst the most joyous experiences I had with him, were to occasionally see birds of prey (raptors) on our travels. These could be fairly common like buzzards, or sometimes quite special like peregrine falcons or even hen harriers or goshawks. Ignited by my Father’s (now deceased) energy and love of nature, over many years I have become an enthusiastic birdwatcher.
            The Peak District holds a special place for many people, being surrounded by major urban areas (Sheffield, Leeds, Manchester and NE Derbyshire) and many people from these conurbations take time to enjoy the outdoor activities on offer. However the moors are managed largely by a tiny minority of people, those involved in driven grouse shooting (DGS). This is a pastime of mainly wealthy folk who demand good numbers of red grouse to shoot at.
            The problem arises that in order to get large numbers of red grouse on the moors, the moorland is managed; the grouse are medicated, the moor is routinely burned, drained, blanket bog is degraded and every single other living creature besides the grouse is exterminated. The efficiency with which moorland is managed for good bags of grouse is such that nowadays vast swathes of this land are a heather/grouse monoculture with no other life on it whatsoever.
            This type of management causes run off from the moor to be much quicker since water retention is severely depleted, causing downstream flooding (as in Hebden Bridge or Leeds earlier this year); water quality is greatly reduced; blanket bog is degraded severely limiting the ability of the moor to trap carbon; and for walkers on the moor it feels like a much more lonely experience than the expected communion with nature.
            There is a great deal written on this subject scientifically or otherwise (see the following websites for example: https://markavery.info/ or https://raptorpersecutionscotland.wordpress.com/ or read the book “Inglorious” by Mark Avery) and I will not labour the points I am making. The relevant authorities have done nothing to remedy the situation especially with respect to raptor persecution, which is routine on most if not all driven grouse moors. Despite claiming to have action plans in place to prevent such illegal raptor killings, the relevant authorities appear by their actual actions to be complicit in the slaughter of these magnificent creatures.
            Please will you take the time to look into this further and raise it with the Prime Minister at PM question time? It is after all the sport of the uber-elite, subsidised by the taxpayer and affects many of us adversely especially if you pay higher water rates, live in Hebden Bridge or a low lying island or happen to like birds of prey.
            There is also a support day, the Peak District Hen Harrier Day at Edale, organised by an organisation called Birders Against Wildlife Crime at 12.00 on 7th August, 2016. I am sure that you would be most welcome at this.
            Yours sincerely
            Gerard

            1. Now then, do let us know if you get a reply, Gerard. Having ‘The Beast’ on our side, that might be something!

      2. Hi Gerard. Having a few contacts here and there it’s pretty clear to me what the high command of the local Labour Party in Sheffield think of green issues. They are considered (and this is verbatim) ‘bourgeois issues’. It’s not banning driven grouse shooting but removing street trees that is seen as a working class issue! I’m afraid it’s not just the grouse moor owners and shooting tenants with 19th Century attitudes in Sheffield.

         1. Hi jim, Snap! As a council estate boy who developed a love of nature at age 7 I can confirm this is, it is an appalling attitude. Nature costs nothing, in fact considerable sums are spent suppressing it, when it’s effectively a free resource therefore especially relevant to the working classes because of that. I know so many people who feel the same. Sadly a lot of reactionary poseurs like to rubbish love of wildlife – twerps.

         2. I got a letter saying that they are looking into it. ie contacting the sec of state for the environment.

4. Don’t want to leave you hanging; Peak District wide constituency average is 92.2 signatures.

5. I emailed M & S about their decision to sell grouse. They sent the following reply.
   “Thank you for getting in touch with us about red grouse.
   Last year we worked with independent industry experts and the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust to introduce the industry’s first ‘Codes of Practice’ to ensure all our game, including grouse, is sourced to the highest standards of game rearing and moorland management.
   In accordance with this, we are currently working with our supplier to monitor numbers for this year’s season and will only stock grouse if the numbers are strong enough.
   For further information on our red grouse please visit our blog online at:
   http://corporate.marksandspencer.com/blog/stories/game-sourcing—working-with-the-rspb-and-game-wildlife-and-conservation-trust. ”
   Didn’t you say that the RSPB hadn’t agreed a Code of Practice with M & S, Mark? They are implying that they are selling grouse with the approval of the RSPB? Who is right?
   Also no mention of the lead content which was the main complaint of my email.

   1. There’s such a thing as being economical with the truth Northern Diver and M&S are using that tactic to their advantage. I have emailed requesting who the ‘independent industry experts’ are and where might I find the ‘Codes of Practice’, having already read their blog some time ago. I have also asked about their relationship with the RSPB and for their comments regarding pesticides, vermicides and other treatments administered to grouse together with the lead content of the birds they propose to sell ………. I await a reply …….. but won’t hold my breath …
      What is annoying upon reading your email from M&S Northern Diver is that they appear to be giving the impression that they actually care about the conservation status of indigenous Red Grouse and ‘will only stock grouse if the numbers are strong enough’….. I would suggest that they have no idea what conservation status actually means ……. let alone care ……

6. Sorry if I’ve not read through properly and not seen the details

   but where in Edale and what time please? I want to circulate the info as much as poss. Cheers

7. Off at Edale station then where please? Will it be signed at all?

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