NGO celebrates further recognition for Conservation Champion James Allsop

The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation (NGO) is delighted to congratulate James Allsop of Monk Wood Shoot on receiving an exceptional commendation from the Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust, recognising his outstanding contribution to habitat creation and species recovery in Derbyshire.

This latest endorsement follows James’ success earlier this year as the winner of the 2026 NGO/Marsdens Conservation Champions Award for Outstanding Commitment to Shooting and Conservation - a new award created to honour individuals whose dedication delivers real, measurable gains for wildlife.

When James began his project at Monk Wood in 2017, he inherited a landscape that was “bleak, depleted and offering little more than commercial larch, pine and tired grassland.” What he has achieved since is extraordinary. As the NGO noted at the time of his award: "James is a truly outstanding ambassador for shooting and conservation, and a thoroughly deserving recipient of this award.”

In a letter to James, Frag Last, the Senior Project Officer at Wildscapes (Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust), praised his long‑term commitment to habitat creation, particularly his work for Great Crested Newts through the District Level Licensing Scheme, and said "The conservation and shooting sectors are often at loggerheads; but here there is plenty of evidence that things can also be harmonious and work together for the benefit of all."

The Trust highlighted that James has created ten ponds specifically for the scheme, providing vital refuge for this red‑listed species, alongside the many other ponds and wetlands he has established across the estate. These aquatic clusters sit within a “fantastic larger mosaic” of woodland, hedgerows, grassland, wildflower meadows and cover crops.

James has transformed a blank canvas into thriving habitats. He has created over thirty ponds and scrapes, dug dykes and beetle banks, and planted more than twenty‑five acres of wild bird cover. More than fifty feeding stations now support birds across the holding, with over five tonnes of food hand‑scattered each year.

His work on hedgerows and connectivity is equally remarkable: miles of existing hedge laid, five miles of new hedgerow created, and over 55,000 trees and shrubs planted. New shelterbelts, digger‑bee banks, hibernacula, dead hedges and even a new five‑acre woodland now form part of a landscape designed with wildlife at its heart.

The NGO is immensely proud to see one of our Conservation Champions recognised by an independent conservation body. James’ work exemplifies the purpose of the awards: to shine a light on the shoots, estates and individuals delivering real conservation on the ground.

His achievements show what is possible when long‑term management, habitat creation and a commitment to wildlife recovery come together with vision and determination.

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