Licence fiasco strengthens need for gamekeepers to complete survey

More News

The National Gamekeepers’ Organisations (NGO) is urging its members to complete the 2019 nationwide conservation survey that will help to shed light on the range of benefits that game management contributes to conservation in the UK.

This ambitious nationwide survey, which is being undertaken jointly by the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation and the Scottish Gamekeepers Association, could not come at a more opportune moment.

Liam Bell, Chairman of the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation explains, “We are in the midst of the most difficult time for gamekeepers in living memory.  Predator control - our one vital tool that helps protect gamebirds and other ground nesting species - has been made extremely difficult by Natural England’s decision to suddenly revoke General Licences. The results of our conservation survey should help to provide the evidence and strengthen the case for a workable licensing system that enables us to protect our game and other vulnerable wildlife from the increasing risks posed by common predators.”

The survey itself is being collated and analysed by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) and a final report will form the much needed evidence on the range of conservation measures undertaken by gamekeepers. The report will be produced by the GWCT in time for the start of the next shooting season.

Professor Nick Sotherton, Director of Research at the GWCT said, “The GWCT works on facts derived from sound science, experimentation and survey. This new survey of management undertaken by gamekeepers comes at a time when the activities surrounding game management are in sharp focus and the survey is therefore timely and much needed.”

Liam Bell, stresses the need for all gamekeepers to get involved.  “Completed survey forms are now trickling in to the GWCT but it is absolutely vital for our profession that all our gamekeeper members and those of the SGA return their completed questionnaires as soon as possible.  It will just take 10 minutes to complete and I have already submitted mine.  How are we going to fight our ongoing battles unless we have robust evidence to show clearly what we do and what this achieves and how the British countryside would be a much poorer place without our efforts? We will then present these results to policy makers, the general public and the media and so we need all of you to get involved for the sake of our profession now and in the future.”

For those that would like to receive  a hard copy of the conservation report by post, please get in touch with Tina Brough on: 01833 660869.  Alternatively, the survey can be completed online by using he following link: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/CST6TZV

END

Notes to Editors:

The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation: The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation (NGO) represents the gamekeepers of England and Wales. The NGO defends and promotes gamekeeping and gamekeepers and works to ensure high standards throughout the profession. The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation was founded in 1997 by a group of gamekeepers who felt that keepering was threatened by public misunderstanding and poor representation. Today, there are 13,000 members of the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation.  www.nationalgamekeepers.org.uk