RSPB press release – Perthshire estate

RSPB Scotland welcomes SNH announcement of restrictions on Perthshire sporting estate Video evidence supporting restrictions revealed RSPB Scotland has welcomed the announcement by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) today of two restrictions imposed on the use of General Licenses on a sporting estate in Perthshire and on an un-named individual. These follow previous similar restrictions imposed…

A week in Yorkshire

Last week I was, kind of, on holiday in mostly sunny Yorkshire. It was good fun. It started with the film premiere in Hebden Bridge which was very enjoyable (I know how to let my hair down when on holiday!). Sunday – a boat trip out from Bridlington on the Yorkshire Belle – Arctic, Great…

Moorland Imbalance (6)

I’ve enjoyed the response of the GWCT to my criticisms of their little booklet: The Moorland Balance, Moorland Imbalance (1), Moorland Imbalance (2), Moorland Imbalance (3), Moorland Imbalance (4) and Moorland Imbalance (5). Their little booklet would be better entitled the Bluffer’s Guide to Moorland Imbalance.  And I’m sure we will hear some of the…

Those NE Hen Harrier data

Even with the minimal amount of data disclosed by NE on their Hen Harrier study, it’s possible to start making some initial explorations of the data.  Here are some initial thoughts which must be accompanied by the massive caveat that this is based on a few minutes playing around, and away from my home computer,…

The Moorland Imbalance (5)

In their little booklet, the GWCT address five areas that they say are commonly-heard criticisms of driven grouse shooting. This week I’ll deal with each of them. GWCT say that a commonly-heard criticism is that ‘Heather burning on grouse moors increases flooding’ and attempt to sidestep this in the same way that they attempted to…

The Moorland Imbalance (4)

In their little booklet, the GWCT address five areas that they say are commonly heard criticisms of driven grouse shooting. This week I’ll deal with each of them. In their booklet GWCT state that a commonly-heard criticism is that ‘This rich man’s hobby damages the environment and society‘ and their defence is that there are…

The Moorland Imbalance (3)

In their little booklet, the GWCT address five areas that they say are commonly-heard criticisms of driven grouse shooting. This week I’ll deal with each of them. The GWCT correctly identify this as an area of criticism ‘There is illegal persecution of raptors by grouse moor keepers‘ but go on to use the ‘few bad…

The Moorland Imbalance (2)

In their little booklet, the GWCT address five areas that they say are commonly-heard criticisms of driven grouse shooting. This week I’ll deal with each of them. GWCT say that it is claimed that ‘Heather burning contributes to the release of greenhouse gases because it release carbon dioxide‘ and attempt to rebut this by quoting…

The Moorland Imbalance (1)

In their little booklet, the GWCT address five areas that they say are commonly-heard criticisms of driven grouse shooting. This week I’ll deal with each of them. GWCT say that it is claimed that ‘Conservation organisations want to ban it‘. This is what is called a straw man – it’s a device for avoiding the…

Book review – The Moorland Balance by GWCT

  I bought this slim volume to see whether there was anything new in it. It’s a fascinating read, as much for what it neglects as for what it says. For £8.95 (+P&P) you don’t get many words – 56 pages including lots of decent photographs, a list of references, an advert for the GWCT…