The RSPB and game shooting

Saturday’s welcome announcement from the RSPB that they are reviewing their position over game shooting is just that – welcome. None of us yet knows what that review will look like nor what, if anything, the RSPB has in mind might change; but we can guess. First, you don’t announce a review if your attention…

Burning continues

Strines Moor on Monday. Walshaw Moor on Monday From Upper Midhope looking across to Shaw Brook and Fenny Common, Peak District on Monday. Walshaw Moor on Tuesday

Countryfile this evening

Burning of moorland, particularly the newly-invented ‘restoration burning’ of blanket bogs will feature on Countryfile this evening. The observations of burning of blanket bogs featured on this blog formed part of the dossier that was used by Guy Shrubsole and others and which will, I’m guessing, feature in the programme. The blurb for the programme…

Warm words on burning

Natural England has issued a position statement on burning of blanket bogs – the position is basically ‘Don’t!’. We understand that the serial blanket bog burners in the uplands are less than chuffed by actually being told what they can and can’t do. We can’t see any comment from the Moorland Association on this subject…

Deep peat burning

Conder Head back in October 2018 This fire on the Abbeystead Estate’s Conder Head back in October has interested me. Is it on blanket bog? Apparently not. Is it on deep peat? Apparently so – see below a reply I received today. Well, we got there in the end. Natural England/Defra appear to be happy…