Wildlife Trust’s chairman formerly a master of a hunt
Conservationists are calling for Kent Wildlife Trust’s boss to resign, after it emerged he was previously master of a hunt.
The charity released a statement confirming chairman Mike Bax had been involved with Blean Beagles, after public accusations last week but it stressed Mr Bax, a former High Sheriff of Kent, had not had any association with the group since 2005, despite being referred to as a joint master in some hunting directories until at least 2014, the same year he took on his role at the charity.
Beagling is the hunting, mainly of brown hares, with a pack of dogs. It was outlawed in 2005 although hunting a trail and in specific cases, rabbits, is still permitted.
Dozens of Kent Wildlife Trust members responded angrily to the revelations about Mr Bax’s past on social media, with many threatening to leave the organisation.
Subscriber Tom Fitton, from Orpington, said he was “shocked, disappointed and saddened”.
Brown hares are listed as priority species under the Kent’s Biodiversity Action Plan, due in the Trust’s words, to a ‘dramatic decline in numbers’.
John Rimington, of the Hare Preservation Trust, called for Mr Bax to step down. He said: “The brown hare population in Britain continues to decline, making the activity of Mr Bax hypocrisy in the extreme and in total opposition to the objectives of the Kent Wildlife Trust. The unacceptable activity of Mr Bax is something which the members of the Trust should be made aware of as his position as chairman is completely untenable in the circumstances.”
But the Trust said Mr Bax’s involvement with the Blean Beagles was relatively historic and largely a social interest.
The statement went on: “Mike Bax has been a member of Kent Wildlife Trust for nearly 30 years and chairman of Kent Wildlife Trust for three. He has a deep interest in wildlife matters and manages his own farm with wildlife foremost in mind.
“We do not promote the view that field sports are good for wildlife. Other than this, the Trust maintains a neutral position on field sports; we are neither for nor against them and we do not campaign for either view.”
Mr Bax has been approached for comment.