In April, the report of a man with a gun located close to a hen harrier decoy attracted media interest, a lot of emails and widespread criticism. The incident took place on National Trust land. As was reported at the time the Trust was taking the matter very seriously and had launched an investigation.
I referred to this incident in my recent update on England’s hen harriers in 2016.
Today’s announcement by the National Trust that they will be revoking the shooting tenancy on this estate citing that they no longer have confidence that the tenant is committed to their vision for the land is welcome news.
We work closely and productively with the National Trust in the Peak District (as we do across England, Wales and Northern Ireland) and support their High Peak Moors Vision. In this context we welcome their commitment to seek a new tenant who shares their ambition and that they have explicitly linked this to increasing raptor populations – we look forward to continuing to work with the Trust in the future.
The National Trust’s public statement is reproduced below:
The National Trust has today given notice that the current shooting leases at Hope Woodlands and Park Hall in Derbyshire will end in April 2018.
The charity said it had taken the decision to exercise a break clause in the lease to end the relationship four years early.
Andy Beer, National Trust’s Director for the Midlands, said: “We have a clear vision for land management and wildlife restoration on the High Peak Moors, which was developed in full consultation with our tenants and other key stakeholders”.
“All our tenants have signed up to deliver to the vision and understand their responsibilities. We work very closely with our tenants and support, consult and discuss any issues relating to the plan on a regular basis.
However, in this case we have decided, after a meeting with the tenant, that we should revoke the lease four years early as it became clear that we could no longer have confidence that they were committed to the delivery of our vision for the land.”
“We have given the tenant 22 months’ notice and will start the process of looking for a replacement in 2017, when we will be happy to receive applications from partners who can demonstrate how moorland management and shooting can deliver great nature conservation in a way that is compatible with public access.
We remain committed to the High Peak Moors Vision. As with all our conservation aims, we review and evaluate progress periodically. When considering renewals of individual shooting leases in future we will take into careful account the extent to which our objectives have been met, in particular relating to increasing raptor populations.”
This excellent news. Hopefully, at last the "wagon " is starting to role in the right direction for the hen harriers. This should send a very effective warning shot across the bows of any other tenants who disregard the law on the grouse moors. i am sure there are many more steps to be taken before the hen harriers start to increase their numbers, but this is a good start. Well done RSPB and well done National Trust.
redkite
Good news at last - well done the National Trust.I really hope that the NT in the Yorkshire Dales follows suit.
Thanks all for the comments. In response to your specific point, Gardenbirder, your question is one for NT but I assume that the timescale relates to the legal terms of the tenancy agreement between the existing tenant and NT as landowner.
This is good news. Whilst it is a long time before the lease is terminated it makes sense to use a legal break point. It also allows time for the NT's ponderous governance to reach the only possible conclusion: that the shooting should not be re-let. NT has more than enough experience - most pointedly that it has no breeding hen harrier on its land - that driven grouse and persecution go hand in hand. It is a conservation charity, not an extension of traditional land ownership, and it essential to its credibility that it acts to stop persecution. Noone is forcing it to re-let the shooting, only its own outdated assumptions.
Wonderful news from the National Trust.
If only my RSPB had the bottle to tackle the grouse moor owners and their criminal ways in such a clear manner .....