Birdsong falls silent as the predators circle, while farmers are banned from controlling them
SIR – I am fortunate enough to farm l00 acres in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, high on the Ridgeway Downs. After I came to the farm, all grassland, 25 years ago I converted it to organic status.
For a few years I had my private nightingale, cuckoo, a treasured pair of Montagu’s harriers, two pairs of lapwings, a lot of brown hares. In the past 10 years nearly all have vanished .
The land is now patrolled by red kites which have proliferated. Ever since a bantam chick was taken from its free-range mother in the garden outside my window by a kite, I have realised the implication of protecting an omnivorous apex predator.
It is a sad irony that this year I joined the Countryside Stewardship scheme for which EU funds pay me £3,000 not to harrow fields after the middle of March or to make hay before the end of June. This is to protect ground-nesting birds and animals. These rules put me to some trouble – haymaking is a risky business.
However, the “public good” I am meant to be doing – by helping to boost the variety of species – is being severely compromised by the lack of control of apex predators. Some species do too well perhaps. A herd of 60 fallow deer often passes through and there are plenty of corvids.
On another organic farm, I saw the sad sight of two frantic lapwings, crying piteously, while two kites circled above... To me, that said it all to Natural England, Chris Packham et al. Penelope Reid
Sparsholt Down, Oxfordshire
SIR – The new Natural England chairman Tony Juniper was not responsible for our decision to review general licences for controlling birds, nor is he in any way associated with the legal challenge by Wild Justice.
The decisions to review the licences, subsequent legal action and the corresponding decision to revoke the three general licences pre-date the start of his tenure. I was acting chair.
Tony’s appointment was made on merit, following an Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Efra) and Environmental Audit Committee joint report into his suitability for the job.
As the legal challenge to the general licences came after the Efra hearing, it is ridiculous to criticise him for not declaring it, as is the suggestion that Tony is a self-declared eco-warrior.
I regret needing to take time to respond to this absurd story. My priority now, along with all in Natural England, is to put back legally robust ways to allow landowners to continue to control wild birds where necessary. This is not a ban on control but a change to the licensing system – and the first steps are in place.
Deputy Chairman, Natural England Worcester
SIR – Our organisations represent the overwhelming majority of users of the general licences issued for controlling “pest” birds in England.
On April 25, at two days’ notice, the three main general licences were revoked by Natural England. This sudden legal change has caused enormous problems at the worst time of year, when lambs, young crops and nesting birds, including declining species such as curlew and lapwing, need protection from pest birds.
The system that Natural England has tried to put in place to provide individual licence cover for those in urgent need of control between revocation and the intended replacement for general licences has been a disaster. It was launched only three hours before the revocation. Very few people could make the online application forms work.
People have been left without a legal means to control problem birds. Their inability to protect livestock, crops, wildlife and livelihoods in ways which the law has until now allowed has left them concerned and angry.
A key reason for the chaos is that there was no prior consultation, or even notification, of stakeholders such as our organisations in advance. Indeed, Natural England wrote to some of us on March 15 explaining that it was being taken to judicial review (by Wild Justice), but assuring us that, “Natural England is of the view that general licences are a legitimate regulatory tool”.
We ask Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for the department to which Natural England is contracted, to undertake a full investigation as to who decided what, when, and why. Tim Bonner
Chief Executive, Countryside Alliance Andrew Clark
Director of Policy, National Farmers’ Union Amanda Anderson
Director, Moorland Association Tim Breitmeyer President, CLA Ian Bell
Chief Executive, British Association for Shooting and Conservation Liam Bell
Chairman, National Gamekeepers Organisation Dominic Boulton
Chairman, Game Farmers Association Sir Jim Paice
Chairman Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust