Pro grouse shooting MPs investigated

I keep an eye on the ups and downs of the politicians who have played any part in the debates over the future of driven grouse shooting and other topics which interest me. Four MPs are being investigated by the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards – two of the four are Conservative MPs with seats in…

Are you inspired by Hen Harriers in the PDNP?

Are you inspired by Hen Harriers in the PDNP? Would you like to be? Then this is your opportunity – complete the consultation by the end of July. The whole plan is very weak on biodiversity preferring to talk about people all the time. I’ll come back to this.   Many thanks to Bob Berzins…

How you can help the Hen Harrier

Remember this video? Filmed in 2013, but only released in May this year, and it resulted in no prosecution. Hen Harriers are killed on grouse moors because they eat Red Grouse that people want to shoot for fun. Hen Harriers have had full legal protection since 1954 and yet the main factor determining their range…

Białowieża forest

I’ve never been to Poland, though I did once spend a night sharing a bottle of port with a drunken Pole on a sleeper through Germany.  If I ever do get to Poland then this forest would be high on my list of sites to see. It’s part of our shared European natural heritage and…

RSPB, what’s the plan?

Martin Harper, the RSPB Conservation Director says, ‘The hen harrier, by contrast, has suffered a significant setback in its recovery according to the results of a recent UK survey. It is on the brink of extinction as a breeding bird in England…how do I explain their absence to my children? Well actually, Martin said that…