Shooting Times & Country Magazine
Gamekeeper
Managers of upland and lowland areas have a shared responsibility to protect vulnerable species, with help from Countryside Stewardship
TAlan Edwards is conservation manager at Bywell, a Purdey gold-award estate in Northumberland he 12 August certainly lived up to its title of being ‘glorious’. In fact, it was so glorious that hardly a bird was seen. Although no longer directly concerned with producing red grouse, it’s still one of my great pleasures to be involved during the shooting season. My metabolism still runs around the build-up to the Twelfth. To be honest I still have sleepless nights and show signs of anxiety as the great day nears. Someone said to me recently, “You’re still hard-wired to grouse, grouse moors and 12 August,” and they are probably right!
As the Twelfth was memorable for the wrong reasons, not so my next visit to the moors. Cooler, damper conditions prevailed and on the second drive my eyes strained the near horizon for early signs of birds being moved by the distant beaters. It wasn’t long before I caught a glimpse of birds swirling in the distance.
The approaching birds were golden plover. These most stunning waders swirled, dipped and dived as they spotted the waiting Guns. Wave after wave, they kept coming, easily more than 1,000 birds produced an unforgettable display that everyone was thrilled to witness. Not uncommon on moorlands, the golden plover has become one of those iconic species and moorland managers take great pride in being part of its success story.
Winter feeding areas
Flocking waders that have clearly had a good breeding season will soon be visiting the lowlands. At Bywell, harvest is well under way, opening up ground that the waders will find an important feeding area in the winter. I like to think that the management of key habitats such as our uplands has a complementary management of equal importance in the lowlands. After all, many of our breeding waders rely on coastal and farmland landscapes to complete their life cycles.
All too often the need to create a food supply in our lowland agricultural system has driven many species either into decline or extinction. I sense an opportunity is beginning to present itself to help many of these threatened species. Countryside
Stewardship is giving many the financial assistance to facilitate change. Soil that for too long has been mistreated in an ever-present need to generate a financial cushion is finally being taken seriously by many who recognise that without healthy and regenerative soil farming has no future.
As harvest on the estate this year draws to a close, plans have been made to sow cover crops that will deliver a stronger soil structure in the future. However, conservation crops don’t sit well with busy people who have a formula for production that works. It’s easy to ignore the growing lobby who demand change. Generally, sporting estates and farms with keen shooting owners are pioneering the way forward with cover crops. The additional winter cover provided by these friendly, diverse and feed-rich crops serve as great holding areas for wild game and it’s easy for those who lack the full understanding of how these crops work to label them game crops.
There’s no doubt game benefits from the development of these crops, but the greater winner in the long run will be the diversity that good, balanced management delivers. Yes, of course, food production is ever-important, but the smart producers should have both viable food production and land that creates links with habitats that are perhaps hundreds of miles away, thus giving a greater range of species the ability to thrive.
“An opportunity is beginning to present itself to help many threatened species”
As harvest concludes, my focus is already beginning to shift to autumn and winter when the food gap begins to grow for wild game. My extensive network of feed stations will require maintenance and a great effort is required to re-establish them in readiness for the colder weather. Until then, I certainly hope to enjoy a day or two more on the moors catching up with friends old and new. You shouldn’t underestimate the excellent health benefits from engaging with wild game.