NGO responds to a Yorkshire Post letter on 'rewilding grouse moors'

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The NGO have written to the Yorkshire Post in response to a letter from a Mr David Wilson of Exhall, Warwickshire, in which he argues that "rewilding grouse moors would be better than them being used as playgrounds for the rich".

Sir,

Your correspondent David Wilson writes of grouse moors: “How about rewilding these moors, open them up to the general public to enjoy not just an elite few” (Yorkshire Post Letters, 19^thJuly). He also questions the conservation work carried out by private landowners on moors and queries figures previously quoted in your paper, including the number of jobs created by the shooting industry and the £3.3bn contribution to the local communities.

In terms of the figures, these are all easily and publicly available in the Value of Shooting report 2024, which can be seen at https://valueofshooting.co.uk/

In terms of conservation work carried out by upland keepers, the array is vast, ranging from peatland restoration and the creation of moorland ponds which enable insects, water vole, amphibians and chicks to survive. Vegetation and heather management allows new shoots to thrive, while a wide array of wildlife, from red and amber listed birds to mammals, reptiles and insect life, are all encouraged through the healthy flora, the mosaic of habitats and the fact that keepers are on hand to protect chicks when needed.

Just one recent example in the Yorkshire Dales involves a curlew nest which was abandoned when an off-lead dog disturbed the parents. When it became evident that the parents were not going to return, a moorland ground member retrieved the eggs and placed them in an incubator. A female – eggless but despite this still sitting in a scrape – was identified. When the eggs began to ‘pip’, they were placed under the female and three of these hatched successfully and are still thriving a month later. That sounds like a success story to us! It also demonstrates the importance and value of local knowledge and how keepers, with their expert insight into what's happening on their beats, can help endangered birds.

A study carried out by the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust – Sustaining ecosystems – English grouse moors (2022) highlights that many of the daily activities carried out on grouse moors produce a wide range of public goods, including increasing biodiversity and saving threatened species, mitigating climate change and reducing the risk of wildfire. The conclusion of the study was that moorland ecosystems managed for grouse shooting deliver a net gain for society as defined by the Government’s long-term sustainability goals.

Interestingly, David Wilson thinks that the moors should be rewilded. The GWCT examined this option – as well as other alternative land uses such as commercial forestry, energy production and agricultural intensification – and the likely benefits of a switch to these land uses.

The study examined the removal of human management, or passive rewilding. “The passive abandonment of grazing, controlled burning and predator management that sustains our culturally valued moorland landscape has been linked to reduced breeding success of vulnerable ground-nesting species including curlew and hen harrier, as seen at Langholm Moor in South West Scotland and in the Berwyn SPA in Wales.”

Furthermore, “the build-up of unburned, uncut, or ungrazed vegetation will increase the risk of severe wildfire, is associated with increased tick activity, and the typical scrub woodland expansion will result in a net loss of carbon on both peatlands and heathlands.” We cannot therefore agree with him that rewilding would be the magic solution to his gripes. Indeed, we believe it would be a disaster for the uplands and the unique habitat that they currently sustain.

As for accessibility, millions of tourists and recreational users from all walks of life visit and use the moors every year without hindrance. It is true that, as he says, that some grouse moor owners are rich people. But these are rich people who are willing to put their own money into the private funding of the habitat management and improving the biodiversity of the uplands. If that private funding didn’t exist, would the public funding be available to cover that cost? We find that hard to believe.

David Pooler,
Chairman, National Gamekeepers’ Organisation