UNDER FIRE
COUNTRYSIDE GROUP CLAIMS CONSERVATION POLICIES MAKE MOORLAND BLAZES MORE LIKELY
A RURAL campaign group has claimed the National Trust is making massive moor fires more likely through its refusal to do controlled burning of the Marsden Moor peatlands above Huddersfield.
The chief executive of pro-hunting rural pressure group the Countryside Alliance has said the Trust must look at itself when it assesses the fault of the latest massive moorland blaze.
Tim Bonner said the “scale of the devastating fire” was due to dry weather, irresponsible behaviour, “but also the decision of the National Trust to stop managed burning on the moor”.
He said: “The Trust is extremely defensive about its policy of not allowing controlled burning which has been used for centuries to manage upland landscapes and, crucially, to reduce the fuel load on moors, making wildfires less likely and more manageable when they do occur.
“Being able to use controlled burning, which removes fuel load without impact on peat, where it is appropriate and effective would give managers at Marsden Moor the flexibility to address the threat of wildfire flexibly and proactively alongside cutting, rewetting and other management approaches.
“It is hard to resist the conclusion that the Trust’s complete ban on burning is a political – rather than a practical position – which ties the hands of those who look after the moor.”
Mr Bonner said the Trust also refused to discuss banning the public from the moors and so must push for better education and teaching of
The National Trust is extremely defensive about its policy of not allowing controlled
burning
the Countryside Code.
He added: “For all the demands for open access and a right to roam, there is an uncomfortable truth which we probably do not talk about enough: a significant minority of those who use access rights do so irresponsibly and create a risk to wildlife and landscapes.
“The reticence in discussing this comes both from landowners and farmers, who are concerned about being labelled as reactionary and ‘anti-access,’ and from access groups who obviously do not want to have to admit that increased access brings with it an increased impact on biodiversity and the environment.
“Neither group therefore wants to discuss the reality that the best thing for many sensitive habitats and their wildlife is that as few people go to them as possible.
“However, substantial restrictions on access to the countryside are not feasible, so we are left to manage access and mitigate its impact.
“Critical to that in the future, at least, must be education.
“If the Countryside Code is taught alongside carbon reduction, and environmental responsibility embraces the local environment, not just the global one, then perhaps there is room for optimism that in the future access to the countryside can be enjoyed responsibly by all.”
A National Trust spokesperson said: “The moors and their ability to trap and store carbon are one of our greatest weapons in the fight against climate change.
“We don’t burn on Marsden Moor as our conservation efforts are focused on rewetting these peatlands to restore the blanket bog and help create carbon sinks to tackle the effects of climate change.
“This process also supports the rich array of wildlife that inhabit the moors, including curlew and mountain hares. When peatlands dry out, become exposed through inappropriate management or are burned, they shift from capturing carbon to becoming a source of carbon and other greenhouse gases.
“While we are yet to discover the cause of this latest fire, most UK wildfires are caused by people and we work with local councils, government agencies, other land managers and the emergency services to raise the public’s awareness at Marsden and elsewhere to change behaviours to help reduce the risk.
“As well as re-wetting, we also cut fire breaks to reduce fire loads in areas that are at risk of accidental or deliberate fires and work hard to raise visitor’s awareness of potential risks.”