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NGO responds to Defra consultation on changes to close seasons for wild birds

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The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation (NGO) has submitted its response to Defra's consultation on proposed changes to Part 1, Schedule 2 (2.1) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (WCA).

The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation (NGO) has submitted its response to Defra's consultation on proposed changes to Part 1, Schedule 2 (2.1) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (WCA).

Schedule 2.1 sets out which wild bird species may be killed or taken outside the “close season”. The close season is the time of year when birds are protected to support breeding and migration, and it varies by species. The NGO set out a positive and practical vision for conservation that supports both wildlife recovery and the livelihoods of those managing the countryside.

Representing gamekeepers and land managers across the UK, the NGO’s response highlights the vital conservation work already being delivered by the sector through habitat creation, woodland management, predator control and species recovery. The organisation stressed that gamekeepers are uniquely placed to provide practical, hands-on conservation solutions that benefit some of the country’s most vulnerable species.
 
The NGO also called for greater recognition of the challenges faced by fisheries from fish-eating birds such as cormorants and herons, urging Defra to include these species on Schedule 2.1 of the Act.
 
Throughout the response, the NGO encouraged government to work more closely with those managing land on a daily basis, arguing that practical experience and local knowledge should sit alongside scientific evidence when shaping future environmental policy.
 
The consultation response was submitted to help ensure the views and experience of the NGO’s membership are represented as government develops future nature recovery policies.
 
Tim Weston of the NGO said: “We have a great story to tell about game management, particularly how this benefits the economy, and the wider UK countryside. We are here to work with the government to improve biodiversity and have a proven track record in doing so.”
 
The NGO believes successful conservation depends on balanced, active land management and hopes the consultation will help create a more collaborative and effective approach to nature recovery in the years ahead.
 

ENDS

Note 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

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