Blogs

Discover how the innovative "3Rs" approach can revolutionise conservation practices and learn why rethinking, redesigning, and restoring are key to sustainable wildlife management

Wild bird populations continue to decline as demonstrated by Government statistics released on 12th November. We have used the graphs for breeding farmland, woodland, water and wetland and upland birds generated by these statistics many times to emphasise the need for a change in approach to conservation.

GWCT Senior Advisor Mike Swan discusses the reintroduction of wolves and other species in Europe and the UK, highlighting challenges posed by strict protection statuses.

The UK is considered nature-depleted by the Biodiversity Intactness Index (BII), but alternative metrics show better biodiversity rankings. Addressing the biodiversity crisis requires both conservation efforts and a careful approache.

The analysis we did of grouse moor management’s contribution to government policy identified 12 public goods and services from food production to recreation and biodiversity.

The year has been dominated by two policy eras – the last weeks of the Conservative government and the first few weeks of the new Labour one. But perhaps surprisingly the key messages during these eras have been broadly the same, focussing on water quality, ELMS and nature recovery. 

Grouse shoot licensing is now in operation. After acceptance of an application, compliance with licensing and code requirements will be monitored through declarations and the provision of information returns.

NatureScot announced that the grouse shoot licensing scheme will launch on 15th July 2024.

This week is insect week and on the back of the recent publication of a GWCT scientific paper on invertebrate abundance changes over a 50-year period at the Sussex study site¹, it led me to explore the fascinating world of insects – all over again!

Members and regular readers of our messages about the success of bottom-up approaches to nature conservation will be aware that we call those private land managers, working conservationists.  But in truth we probably should also be emphasising the value of farming conservationists.