It's good to see (here) the shooting community supporting the need for a recovery plan for the hen harrier in England - this is a positive step forward.
As I have written previously (for example, see here), we want a world richer in nature and we want to see a recovery plan that does what it says on the tin, i.e. it secures recovery for the hen harrier in England. This is something to which the UK Government is committed to through its Biodiversity 2020 Strategy and for which it has legal obligations under the EU Birds Directive.
A target-led approach to species recovery which focuses on tackling the key threats has long been a theme of nature conservation and, indeed, was the basis of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan established in 1994 by the then Environment Secretary, John Gummer, now Lord Deben.
In our discussions with Defra, we have sought to ensure that the developing plan focuses attention on the right issues, especially tackling the root causes of decline. In the case of the hen harrier, the key threat constraining recovery is illegal persecution.
There has been some debate about the relative merits of a so-called brood management scheme (BMS) whereby hen harrier chicks would be removed from a moor when a threshold of birds was reached to remove perceived predation pressure on grouse.
This is an idea that emerged a few years ago and which we have given considerable thought – indeed we even wrote an article in the Journal of Applied Ecology on the subject in 2009 (see here).
We have concluded that this may merit experimental investigation in England in the future, but only once hen harrier numbers have recovered to a pre-agreed level and less interventionist approaches, particularly diversionary feeding, have been widely attempted.
It is regarding the conservation target that we and the shooting community differ. They would like to pilot the BMS now. We think this is not only premature but potentially not compliant with existing legislation. It would also send a terrible signal to nature conservation that it is appropriate to 'manage' a highly threatened population of an iconic species.
To survive in the 21st century, driven grouse shooting must be able to demonstrate that it can operate in harmony with healthy populations of birds of prey like the hen harrier and that it can address the other negative environmental impacts associated with grouse moor management (here). This is why we think it is right and timely to license driven grouse shooting.
The conflict between grouse shooting and environment is understandably becoming an increasingly emotive debate and there have, over the past three years, been four separate e-petitions on the Number 10 website about birds of prey and grouse shooting. Most people want the wildlife in our uplands to flourish and I note the growing support for Hen Harrier day being organised on 10 August. While I shall be on holiday for the day itself, I shall be there in spirit hoping that it helps put a spotlight on illegal killing. I know many RSPB supporters, staff and volunteers will be attending and adding their support to the call for the end of illegal persecution of the hen harrier.
In the meantime, we look forward to continuing our work with Defra, the shooting community and others to secure an effective hen harrier recovery plan so that everyone can get behind it soon. It's only by working together that we'll save the hen harrier and we're determined to reach an agreement.
This seems to be slightly encouraging Martin in as much as some moderate progress seems to be emerging.I think it is vital that Defra/Natural England continues to play an active and facilitating role in these issues. I think you are quite right in your assessment of the situation so far. BMS should be considered in the future but clearly we are a long way off of that at present. One of the key parameters that surely must apply before any form of BMS is considered is the approximate number of Hen Harriers that are acceptable on any grouse moor after the application of diversionary feeding is being applied to limit the impact of the harrier on grouse numbers. Like any form of business grouse moor owners must accept a percentage of losses. Zero loss of grouse due to other wildlife is not acceptable.
I also think that in these negotiations we need to include other birds of prey such as golden eagles which should now be present in the English uplands were it not for persecution.
Finally, while I agree with Mark about the baning of driven grouse moors as an ideal, I think we have to be practical here and carefully assess what can be won at this stage.I think demanding that driven grouse moors be licensed is the right strategy. "Going for too much" at present could mean not much is achieved in the end.
I will be at the hen harrier day on the 10th August
redkite
Well said Martin. You can't let criminals win that easily.
The grouse shooting community may not, in any case, be united on this subject. It must be very difficult to know whether the people in the room discussing these matters have any clout at all with the 'bad apples' who are doing the killing. What guarantee do you, do we, have that they can deliver a higher level of legal behaviour than they have delivered over the past couple of decades? Not much!
It's not as though those 'representing' shooting have come into the room saying 'Look, we've allowed Hen Harrier numbers to increase over the last few years as a sign of good faith' is it?
Driven grouse shooting must deliver many years of increasing Hen Harrier numbers before they could be respected or trusted on the Hen Harrier issue. Only Hen Harriers on the ground can demonstrate a change of heart and the ability to see it through. I hope the RSPB sticks to its 'guns' and 'spikes' theirs.
Of course, the problems with grouse shooting are not limited to illegal killing of Hen Harriers - there are issues over other species, carbon loss, blanket bog damage, water discolouration and increased flood risk (to name some of the issues most important to me).
That's why i have come to the conclusion that an outright ban on driven grouse shooting is the most practical and efficient way to bring our uplands back to life. I know it isn't RSPB policy yet, but maybe one day it will be. Here's the link to my e-petition to ban driven grouse shooting epetitions.direct.gov.uk/.../65627
A love of the natural world demonstrates that a person is a cultured inhabitant of planet Earth.