Leading police officers have met with senior government ministers to seek stronger powers for investigating and prosecuting bird of prey persecution. It comes as a wave of wildlife crime continues on grouse moors with birds of prey having been found illegally shot, poisoned and trapped. Incidents have included five dead buzzards—four of […]
Grouse moor burning season closes with prospect of ban
New figures showing the shocking scale of grouse moor burning across Yorkshire have been released by a wildlife organisation as the season officially closes today. Wild Moors has compiled more than 550 reports of the county’s heather moorland being burnt — an ecologically-destructive practice performed to engineer habitat for grouse which […]
Major landowners put a permanent end to grouse moor burning
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 […]