GWCT News Blog

This week we submitted our response to the Natural Resources Wales (NRW) call for evidence on the future of regulating the shooting and trapping of wild birds. We are hugely grateful to the 307 people who responded and enabled us to provide your perspective and experience in controlling species under licence.

The Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales has confirmed an outbreak of H5N8 Bird Flu (pathogenicity to be confirmed) on a gamebird establishment near Amlwch, Anglesey. 

This week, data from the Census cropped up on Radio 4’s popular panel show The Unbelievable Truth to corroborate a claim made by British ‘specialist’ retailer Ann Summers.

Rewilding is familiar to many these days and as a concept is often proffered as the only long-term solution to many of the world’s environmental ills. The general argument suggests that humans have messed-up the natural world to such a degree that only by stepping back and letting nature take its course can ecosystems recover and thus Man’s future be assured. But what exactly is meant by ‘rewilding’ and who wants it?

JM Osborne Rural and Sporting have been involved in shoots and shooting in one form or another since 1972 and have seen a massive change in that near 50 year period.  

Read the latest bulletin from the Isle of Wight group of the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust.

If this remarkable species is given a new lease of life in Scotland, those responsible must be careful to ensure landowners and farmers do not lose out.

With the season all but over, Mike Swan's mind, as usual, turns to planning for 2021/22. In just a few weeks the pheasants will be setting up their territories, strutting their stuff, and doing everything they can to keep their harems together.

The GWCT are reminding all farmers, land managers and gamekeepers of important changes to licensing arrangements for pest control in England which came into effect on 1st January.

On the face of it, we should welcome the research published in Science that improved crop performance can be achieved in hard soils through gene modification. Whilst soil compaction does restrict crop yields, the solution is more complex than to just adapt plant genetics. Soil health is in decline generally and compacted soils cause a number of environmental problems too.