I enjoyed returning to the Game Fair at Blenheim Palace for the first time in six years. It has its own distinctive character - part summer garden party, part country fair and part serious conference. The RSPB always has a stand and it was a good opportunity to catch up with friends and, for me, to meet new people who work closely with the RSPB.
I shared a panel debate on the Natural Environment White Paper with the Biodiversity Minister, Richard Benyon, and he also spoke at our reception on Friday afternoon. While it cannot be much fun being a minister when there is little money to go around, he already has the Natural Environment White Paper under his belt and is currently preparing the Water White Paper this autumn. His knowledge and passion for the brief is clear and it was reassuring to hear him restate his commitment to the cause by saying "we focus on biodiversity and how to reverse its decline as an absolute priority".
Around the Game Fair, badgers and buzzards were of course topics of conversation, but perhaps the subject which dominated was the fate of the rural development programme and agri-environment schemes. The EU Budget announcement earlier this summer has created a lot of uncertainty and anxiety about whether reforms to the Common Agriculture Policy will provide more (hopefully) or significantly less (a distinct possibility) funds to support wildlife friendly farming. It was good to meet a number of farmers who we work with and who share our concerns. It is clear that together we will have to fight to keep these funds.
A few people mentioned my appearance on the BBC News Channel and, while it makes me squirm a bit, you can still view it on BBC’s iPlayer here. Our reserve at Bempton Cliffs in Yorkshire comes across rather well...
And if you aren’t sick of the sight of me – or at least the sound of my voice – after that then you may want to have a listen to Radio 4’s You and Yours from earlier in the week. In my best Robert Peston voice I spoke about the benefits of woodland management and our concerns over the environmental impact of imported woodfuel.
Also in the new last week, the Telegraph ran a controversial piece on their website about the role of gamekeepers in conservation, ahead of the Game Fair . Although we may not agree with everything that is said in the article, they were gracious in giving us the opportunity to have our say. “It is fantastic the shooting community recognise the contribution they can make to conservation, however there are issues,” said our spokesperson. “We would question the relative absence of birds of prey across upland moors managed by gamekeepers, overgrazing by deer on stalking estates and the poor state of some sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs)."
Game Fair was also a great platform for us to announce the finalists of our annual Nature of Farming Award. The shortlist was trailed in the Telegraph and has been getting a lot of interest in the local media up and down the country. Don’t forget to vote! - www.rspb.org.uk/farmvote.