GWCT News Blog

The great snipe is a bird steeped in both history and mystery, captivating hunters and ornithologists alike for centuries.

The suggestion that the solution to the “Nature Crisis” is through further SSSI designation is a flawed concept. Many of the existing SSSI sites are already not meeting their conservation objectives – simply adding more will not help.

Marcus Jansen, Executive Director of Schöffel Country, presented a cheque for £24,226 to Alastair Leake, director of the GWCT’s Allerton Project, at the Trust’s flagship demonstration farm in Loddington, Leicestershire.

A group of around 60 farmers and families gathered for a special Big Farmland Bird Count social event at Adfa Village Hall in Powys, mid-Wales, in preparation the UK’s annual census of farmland birds.

The polarisation of viewpoints over wildlife conservation is reinforced by a number of factors including the politicisation of wildlife conservation, false narratives (encouraged by social media and the need for political soundbites), selective interpretation of scientific evidence and the lack of success of current conservation policy approaches.

As we reflect on 2024, we want to take this moment to express our deepest gratitude to all our dedicated members and supporters. Your generosity and commitment to our cause have been instrumental in protecting the red-listed and vulnerable species we tirelessly work to safeguard.

Mouldiwarp literally means earth thrower and it was the very epitome of this action in the churchyard in my village that led me to consider our view of this subterranean specialist.  The collective noun for moles is a labour which neatly encapsulates their tireless tunnelling work.

As well as providing a snapshot of the bird population on UK farms, the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust’s Big Farmland Bird Count aims to raise awareness of the vital role Working Conservationists such as farmers and other land managers play in helping farmland birds. For children it is a chance to look, to listen, and to learn – not only about the birds and how to spot them, but also how counting them can help us understand which of our birds are in the most serious trouble and what we can do to help.

Join FWAG East advisors ahead of this year's Big Farmland Bird Count survey for a two-hour farm walk on the Herts/ Cambs/ Essex border to hone your farmland bird identifications skills.

The newly launched Wensleydale & Swaledale Environmental Farmers (SWEF) Group has won a £100,000 National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) bid to fund the development of the group and its catchment-scale conservation ambitions.