Minister Mairi Gougeon sees muirburn for herself
TIGHTER laws around grouse shooting in Scotland are on the cards, due to continuing raptor persecution by a ‘destructive minority’.
ScotGov has announced that the new proposals, published for consultation this week, will lead to a new Wildlife Management (Grouse Moor) Bill.
The consultation will seek views on:
■■i■troduci■g a licensing scheme for grouse shooting;
■■i■creased regulation of muirburn;
■■ba■■i■g glue traps;
■■i■creased regulation of other wildlife traps.
The Bill will implement the recommendations of the Werritty Review, an independent report which called for widespread changes to grouse moor management.
Environment Minister Mairi McAllan said: “Over a number of years, ScotGov has introduced a wide range of measures to tackle wildlife crime including a poisons amnesty, restrictions on general licences and most recently, significant increases in penalties for wildlife crimes.
“Despite these measures, the persecution of raptors persists in Scotland. That is why we commissioned the independent Werritty Review and why we will now move to implement its recommendations in full.
“I recognise that the management of grouse moors for grouse shooting makes an important contribution to the rural economy,” stressed Ms McAllan. “However, it is clear that grouse moors must be managed in a sustainable and responsible way, ensuring minimal negative impact on other wildlife – we cannot tolerate raptor persecution by a destructive minority.”
SCOTTISH FARMING minister Mairi Gougeon has been in the Angus Glens, witnessing firsthand the role that muirburn plays in upland habitats.
Ms Gougeon, who is MSP for Angus and North Mearns, noted that there were now a number of pieces of legislation coming forward which would affect Scotland’s upland areas, so it was important for her to meet with people working on the ground to discuss their concerns.
The visit, hosted by Glen Lethnot Estate, was organised by Scotland’s Regional Moorland Groups, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation and Scottish Land & Estates, as an opportunity to discuss strategies for wildfire mitigation, peatland protection and the estate’s ongoing conservation work.
Estate staff demonstrated a controlled burn, also known as a ‘ cool burn’ or muirburn, and Ms Gougeon herself tried her hand at using equipment, like the leaf-blowers employed to extinguish flames.
After the burn had been put out, the headkeeper, Martin Taylor, demonstrated the moisture that had been retained in the moss, to illustrate how muirburn targets just the upper lengths of vegetation and does not set fire to the soil or peat beneath.
The Cabinet Secretary said: “I really appreciate the opportunity to hear firsthand from those working on the estate about the management practices, to see for myself and get a better understanding of the work that’s undertaken as well as seeing how tough the work is given the terrain and conditions. Going forward I look forward to hearing about future plans on the estate.”
BASC Scotland’s public affairs manager, Peter Clark, said: “Muirburn revitalises Scotland’s upland landscapes and creates a diverse mosaic habitat, which in turn, increases the abundance of iconic species such as lapwing, curlew, and golden plover.
“It is an extremely important land management tool, which is used effectively to tackle the twin climate and nature crises that Scotland is currently facing.
“We would like to thank Ms Gougeon for the opportunity to meet and discuss these issues, at a time when the management of the countryside is in sharp focus at Holyrood.”
CABSEC GOUGEON wields a leafblower at Glen Lethnot Estate
The visit included inspecting patches of heather that had been burned in previous years to review the biodiversity outcomes. In areas that had been burned the year before, there was a rich biodiversity of fauna and flora – including ling heather, bell heather, blaeberry and sphagnum moss. The land managers explained how muirburn also benefits a range of vulnerable ground nesting bird species including curlew, golden plover, merlin, whinchat and lesser redpoll.
National Coordinator of Scotland’s regional moorland groups, Lianne MacLennan, said: “Grouse moor management supports the natural beauty of places like Glen Lethnot and also provides employment to thousands of gamekeepers
and rural businesses. We have the perfect balance of job creation and conservation to ensure rural communities can thrive in Scotland while protecting our natural biodiversity.”
Ross Ewing, Moorland Director of Scottish Land & Estates, added: “The crucial role of muirburn in combating wildfires is increasingly recognised. Unlike muirburn, wildfires generate huge temperatures and set fire to the soil itself. This year 440 wildfires were recorded across the UK, the highest number on record. Scotland is not immune from the effects of climate change and controlled burning plays a major part in preventing these catastrophic wildfires, which threaten property, put lives at risk, and generate huge carbon emissions.”