Blogs

This week, several GWCT research staff are out in the Sussex countryside undertaking autumn partridge counts. The PCS is a free and voluntary scheme run by the GWCT since 1933 to collect information on the annual abundance and breeding success of grey partridges. 

As part of Defra’s efforts to protect hedgerows in England, they launched a consultation in June to gather your views and suggestions. The consultation will close on 20 September, so there is still time for you to have your say and help shape the future of hedgerow policy. 

We'd like to invite you to become a GWCT Premium Member at a special rate to guarantee you're insured for the new season.

The 2023 curlew breeding season has now drawn to a close, and after many years of low productivity in the New Forest, its adult population of curlews – which is likely ageing – has finally produced a reasonable number of fledglings.

Any policy maker with an eye to the past understands that the more gaps we have in our knowledge, the higher the risk is of unintended consequences if we rush to make policy decisions. That is why a number of our leading scientists with years of conducting key research into these ecosystems on our uplands are advising caution regarding the seemingly appealing solution of banning prescribed burning as a management tool for moorland owners. It might quite literally backfire!

At its heart, FRAMEwork is about sharing ideas, inspiring new approaches, and collaborating to make farmland biodiversity conservation possible on the ground. This occurred in March when the GWCT team hosted the projects’ annual meeting.

After a short hiatus due to covid, the Shooting Times’ Woodcock Club is back on 14 September. 

The West Tayside committee are once again holding their “Fairways & Flushes” competition at The Gleneagles Hotel, this year on Friday 6th October.
The day will consist of an 18-team competition, with teams of 4 people competing in a clay competition in the morning, lunch at Auchterarder 70 within the Dormy Clubhouse followed by a Texas Scramble golf competition in the afternoon.

The Scottish Government has announced that it intends to bring forward amendments to the Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill to ban the use of snares in Scotland.

Starting 18th September, farmers can enroll in the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), as per the recent announcement by Defra.