Three major landowners have ended heather burning on moorland across Northern England in a landmark move welcomed by wildlife campaigners.Yorkshire Water, United Utilities and the National Trust — which collectively own 34 sections of moorland spanning Yorkshire, Lancashire and Derbyshire — enforced the decision last week by asking tenants to halt the practice until further […]
Grouse shooting industry suspends burning season following major blaze on Meltham Moor
Grouse moor burning season was prematurely ended today after industry bodies requested members stop the practice. It follows more than 200 hectares of rare blanket bog being damaged in a major blaze on Meltham Moor, West Yorkshire, on Monday when planned grouse moor burning got out of control. Such burning is […]
Grouse shoot dishonours agreement to end burning, sparking major blaze on Meltham Moor
Dramatic images have been released by a wildlife protection organisation showing the devastating impact of a major fire on Meltham Moor (available here). Wild Moors published the video footage and photographs — showing more than 200 hectares of damaged rare blanket bog habitat — following planned grouse moor burning getting out […]
Government urged to deliver moorland burning ban following Yorkshire floods
Environment campaigners are warning that Yorkshire’s moors are no longer acting as effective flood barriers for the region following decades of burning for grouse shooting. It comes as Yorkshire counts the cost of the third major floods to have hit the region in seven months, with torrents of rainfall having flowed […]
Government prepares to end blanket bog burning on grouse moors
Burning blanket bog is set to be ended on Northern England’s moors under new legislation being prepared by the government. Zac Goldsmith MP, Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs), announced the decision to legislate to stop the environmentally-damaging practice — widely used by grouse moors to engineer optimal […]