On mission: in conversation with Charles Moore, columnist at the Daily Telegraph

Earlier today, I had a cordial conversation with Daily Telegraph columnist and former editor Charles Moore. While much of the discussion focused on issues relating to shooting and birds of prey, during the discussion – in preparation for his column – Charles sought my response to the suggestion that the RSPB may be losing its way or indeed support.

That was surprising especially given that we have more members than ever before and we have just had such a successful breeding season on our nature reserves (see here) and have recently been able to report of other great species conservation successes (see here).

To be honest, I can’t think of a time when the RSPB’s mission has been more needed. The Society exists to promote nature conservation by saving nature wherever it is threatened and helping others to understand the importance of conservation. The multi-partner State of Nature report (here) shows that 60 per cent of UK species that are monitored are declining, and several iconic species and habitats are being impacted by the shooting industry. Does this mean the RSPB is opposed to shooting?

No.

We have neutral position on legalised field sports but do speak out when the conservation of species is at stake.

This neutral position encourages us to talk to organisations and individuals who share our concerns, just as we talk to representatives from across the shooting spectrum and share panels and stand space, for example at the CLA Game Fair.  This year, I was invited to speak at the National Gamekeepers' Organisation AGM and my boss, Mike Clarke, spoke at the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust AGM.

If you are judged by the company you keep, then I think we strike the balance well and it was good to work with League Against Cruel Sports (LACS) at Tuesday's rally for nature.  This was a first for the RSPB but it felt as natural as sharing a marquee with the Chairman of GWCT.

Mr Moore was interested in the motivation and origin of the rally and I simply told him what I have written in this blog previously (see here).

But I also told him that I enjoyed the day and felt it was a great success.  There is nothing more heartening that being with a bunch of people who love and care about wildlife -  people prepared to give up their day to speak up for nature.  Many thanks to those of you who joined in.

The purpose of the rally – which culminated at Westminster - was to give nature lovers an opportunity to ask their MPs to defend existing wildlife laws, protecting special places for nature; put an end to wildlife crime, including the killing of birds of prey; and introduce a Nature and Wellbeing Act that will put nature at the heart of decision-making.  And it was wonderful to have such passionate support at the rally from four Westminster MPs from four different parties: Sir John Randall (Con), Kerry McCarthy (Lab), Julian Huppert (LD) and Caroline Lucas (Green).

All those represented, including other charities such as the Ramblers Association, the Mammal Society and Butterfly Conservation, share our concerns about these key issues and I think that the MPs to whom we spoke would have received a clear (and very polite) message about what they need to do for nature in the run up to the next election. 

Obviously, the profile of shooting and illegal killing of birds of prey has grown over the past year and, yes, we have hardened our line by calling for licensing of grouse shoots (see here).  I anticipate that public interest will remain high unless the shooting community do more to crack down on illegal killing.  Some of you may have already seen the harrowing video footage of a gamekeeper killing a goshawk in Scotland – for which he received a conviction (here).  This serves to reinforce the message that crimes continue and the shooting community has a responsibility to do more to end persecution.

Our conversation, perhaps inevitably, ended on hen harriers and Charles asked for my response to the claims made by some that we are to blame for holding up Defra's action plan process.  I explained our position on hen harriers, as I have done publicly on many previous occasions.  Indeed, I repeated what I said in a meeting with the minister and the shooting community this week, that it is refreshing that there is agreement on 4 out of the 6 elements in the plan, but we disagree over the consideration of a quota system/brood management scheme for hen harriers.  We cannot support it until there has been recovery of the species.  

It is, of course, for Defra to decide what to do next, but we have suggested they get on with the parts of the plan for which there is agreement while consulting on the brood management scheme proposal about which so many unanswered questions remain.

My final thought is this.

Wildlife crime has a terrible impact on some of our most iconic countryside and most important species.  The threat is real and on an industrial scale.  The RSPB will continue to work with anyone - from LACS to the shooting community - to improve the fortunes for some of our most iconic species and finest wildlife sites.

Tuesday’s rally shows there is a strong public appetite to give nature a more secure future and that there are MPs who are eager to hear the concerns about conservation from constituents. I hope Charles’ column tomorrow will encourage the shooting industry to look inwardly and do more to take responsibility for stamping out wildlife crime.   Perhaps we could then look to the day when they will join future rallies for nature.