BY BERT BURNETT
How much longer does the British Countryside have to put up with propaganda attacks from liars? It’s bad enough having weekly potshots from outliers like Chris Packham and George Monbiot. Now, having their former paymaster the BBC supporting the outlandish instead of checking facts, makes rural licence fee payers furious.
Take a recent BBC Wildlife opinion piece by Mark Carwardine which paints a one-sided and misleading picture of driven grouse shooting, ignoring the proven ecological benefits of well-managed grouse moors. The article’s central claim—that wildlife is losing to profit-driven businesses—couldn’t be further from the truth. There’s still a lot of this propaganda about despite massive holes having been blown in the raptor persecution lobby by publications like Country Squire Magazine and others.
In reality, grouse moors are among the most biodiverse landscapes in the UK, supporting thriving populations of red and amber-listed species, including ground-nesting birds like curlew, golden plover, and black grouse—species that have vanished from many so-called “nature reserves.”
The wind industry – friend of the propagandists – slices through birds at a scary rate while nature reserves fail to implement successful predator control strategies.
Nature Reserves: A Silent Decline
Contrary to popular belief, many nature reserves—formerly grouse moors—have seen catastrophic declines in birdlife. Black grouse, lapwings, and curlews are now locally extinct in areas where predator control has been abandoned. The reason? Unchecked predator populations. Foxes, crows, and raptors, left uncontrolled, decimate vulnerable species. Yet this inconvenient truth is rarely acknowledged by critics who prefer to vilify grouse moor management while turning a blind eye to the failures of alternative conservation models.
The article condemns predator control as “merciless,” yet fails to acknowledge its role in sustaining biodiversity. Protecting predators does not increase overall wildlife numbers—it simply shifts the balance in their favour, often at the expense of other species. Grouse moors, through careful predator management, create a habitat where ground-nesting birds and other wildlife can thrive. Scientific studies confirm that these moors support 3-5 times the density of red and amber-listed species compared to other upland land uses. Even mountain hare populations—often falsely claimed to be in decline—are healthier on grouse moors than elsewhere.
Habitat Management: More Than Just “Sport”
The claim that grouse moors are “monocultures” is absurd. Heather moorland is a dynamic habitat, maintained through rotational burning—a practice that mimics natural processes and promotes biodiversity. Far from being ecologically destructive, this management sustains rare flora and fauna, including reptiles and amphibians that benefit from the mosaic of young and mature heather. The alternative—abandoning these landscapes to scrub encroachment—would be far more damaging.
While the article dismisses grouse shooting as a “repugnant sport for a tiny elite,” it ignores the livelihoods and rural economies it supports. More importantly, it overlooks the fact that grouse moors deliver tangible conservation results. Licensing systems, like the one recently introduced in Scotland, risk burdening estates with bureaucracy while doing little to address the real issue: the need for balanced wildlife management.
Conclusion
The anti-grouse-shooting narrative is driven by ideology, not evidence. Instead of demonising an industry that demonstrably benefits wildlife, critics should examine the stark contrast between thriving grouse moors and failing nature reserves. The bigger picture is clear: predator control and active habitat management work. If we truly care about biodiversity, it’s time to set aside the bigotry and recognise the role of grouse moors in conserving Britain’s uplands.
Bert Burnett is a retired gamekeeper of more than fifty years’ experience.