2025

Scientific research, practitioner evidence and environmental accreditation are essential for sustainable game management -- the take home message from GWCT’s lowland gamebird conference.

Defra will shortly publish an updated GL43 licence and guidance for 2025 for the release of gamebirds on and within 500m of areas that are Special Areas of Conservation (SACs), but not Special Protection Areas (SPAs). 

Planting hedgerows and beetle banks is a great way of enhancing habitats, but according to Arthur Barraclough at Bright Seeds, the benefits can be multiplied by drilling conservation crops either side of the new wildlife corridor.

Over the course of a series of blogs this year I will be considering the current science on peatland management and restoration with a view to challenging some of the ‘accepted truths’. 

The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust’s (GWCT) Allerton Project is partnering with the Environmental Farmers Group (EFG) to create a Knowledge Hub to serve as a resource for farmers looking to enhance their understanding of natural capital markets, sustainable land management, and the latest innovations in nature friendly farming.

Three days ago I watched four hares in my 7 acre paddock in front of my house being ‘mad march hares’. Baroness Helic is correct (Thunderer 25th March) that they are one of the most evocative symbols of the English Countryside.

Defra informed stakeholders on 21^st March that GL43 will be published in the next couple of weeks. However, GL45 will not be released this year, meaning that individual licences must be sought for those wanting to release gamebirds on SPAs.

GWCT’s Ceredigion Committee hosted their 3rd Clay Shoot at the Dovey Valley on Sunday 16 March, welcoming 100 guns. Squads of 6 were faced with 10 stands with varying challenges, on a sunny but crisp morning.

It is important, now more than ever, that land managers are able to demonstrate to policy makers and the public the conservation value of the management activities that preserve our rare habitats.

There’s a lot of talk about the closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive scheme. The SFI has not ended. Because the scheme was so good farmers have piled into it enthusiastically and all the money is now committed.