Blogs

Whilst there was much to be positive about in the recent announcement by the Defra Secretary of State on the 2024 SFI offer in terms of its support for farming, we are disappointed that the opportunity was not taken to include measures in the ELMS to reduce predation pressure to facilitate species recovery.

Over the coming weeks we have three wonderful opportunities for gamekeepers and shoot managers to hone their skills and learn about the latest developments in the game shooting sector.

The new year marks four months into my placement with GWCT and there are plenty of highlights from my time in Scotland so far.

Holding my breath, navigating clouds of pollen in rye fields - an expected state for an ecological researcher. But after yet another summer field season, I've uncovered the need for a myriad of skills beyond the obvious.

Fox-tagging research as part of the EU LIFE+ Waders for Real project sought to understand how many foxes reside within wet grassland areas in the Avon Valley, and where foxes spend their time, to inform predation management strategies.

Finding myself in ownership of four Canada Geese that no one else wanted at a shoot ‘share out’ in SW Scotland a few days ago, I was reminded of this recipe which I wrote back in January 2010. If you read on you will see that I feared I was ‘letting the cat out of the bag’, but clearly, I was wrong

The latest changes to the Sustainable Farming Incentive, launched at the Oxford Farming Conference, are a huge step in the right direction. For many years, the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust has argued for those farmers with good existing habitat to be rewarded for their work. Finally, we have this at a fair rate within government policy.

A few weeks ago, 13 hardy souls defrosted their vehicles and headed to Gilston Farm for the latest PepsiCo FAB (Farming Arable Biodiversity) project farm walk. 

Find out what they got up to...

The Government, through the Farming Innovation Programme, is set to launch another round of the Large R&D Partnerships competition on 15th January. This initiative aims to allocate a share of £7.8 million to farmers, growers, and foresters in England. The focus is on advancing ideas that enhance productivity, sustainability, and resilience, while steering the sector towards net-zero emissions.

We’re very excited to be launching our very first Fishing Raffle. The prize, kindly donated by Orvis UK, is a spectacular day’s fishing for 6 Rods on the flagship 'Ginger Beer' beat along the River Test in Hampshire.