Don't let eco-zealots wreck this chance to save the hen harrier

Philip Merricks is chairman of the Hawk and Owl Trust, manager of two National Nature Reserves, and of two former RSPB reserves. He was appointed MBE in 1999 for services to conservation.  Read his article in The Telegraph. 

It is a pleasure to read an article in this vexed area that I can endorse unreservedly.  We need the balanced approach set out in this article to bring different views together and achieve some consensus.  Philip describes the approach of eco-zealots, or perhaps eco-terrorists, and the harm they can do.  

I emphasise a key point from the article: "To alienate those who manage the overwhelming proportion of the habitats of birds of prey is a huge mistake. Conservationists need farmers, landowners and gamekeepers on side, for it is they alone who have the ability to manage the majority of the countryside and its wildlife."  

The importance of the role played by farmers, landowners and gamekeepers in delivering the uplands and moorlands we all want is driving my thinking about the world we want to see post-Brexit. It is easy to criticise upland and moorland management; it will never be perfect, but the detractors are not able to come up with a better, viable model that meets all the requirements of: conservation, communities, ecosystem services, landscape, tourism, employment, income generation, access, and all the other potentially conflicting challenges.

If I agreed with you, we would both be wrong! Just because someone has a different view, does not mean they are wrong.  We need to work together, with respect for other views, with a clear view of the best way to achieve agreed objectives.

England: Hen Harrier Joint Action Plan launched

The Hen Harrier Joint Action Plan was launched by Defra, on 14 January.

The plan was developed by Defra in conjunction with the RSPB, Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, Moorland Association, National Gamekeepers Organisation, and National Parks UK.  Natural England will lead on the six point plan, working with the partner organisations to: 

• Monitor hen harrier numbers in England and the UK via satellite tagging and tracking;
• Share best practice with land managers and gamekeepers, encouraging the provision of food for birds of prey;
• Work closely with the Raptor Persecution Priority Delivery Group (RPPDG) to analyse intelligence on persecution and deliver more effective enforcement and deterrence measures;
• Monitor and protect nests and winter roosts from disturbance and destruction;
• Work with landowners to reintroduce hen harriers to suitable areas in the South of England;
• Scope out feasibility for trialling brood management.

Other documents are:

• Defra news story: New plans to save England’s hen harriers - 14 Jan 16
• Joint action plan to increase the English hen harrier population

It is interesting to note that the Joint Action Plan contains details of the most recent full survey of the UK population of Hen harriers, which was carried out in 2010 .  This found 633 territorial pairs in the UK, and estimated 505 pairs in Scotland; 57 in Wales and 12 in England. The Plan states that "it is reasonable to conclude that there should be more pairs in England than currently exist".

 

For those who have not been following the development of the Plan, the Guardian article from 14 January provides a good overview.

I welcome the publication of this Plan and the objective approach it offers.  I encourage the partners to work hard to implement it  fully.  Yes, this is sensitive territory but we should not let the arguments be fuelled by self-interest.  

There has been a lot of discussion around introducing a brood management scheme, and I draw your attention to the details of Action 6 on page 11 of the Joint Action Plan, which explains this.  No lethal control is proposed and as someone without direct involvement in this debate, I take the view that if brood management would help to defuse the tension around Hen harriers I think this approach should be trialled.  I am sure there are different views and I would be delighted for the errors of my position to be pointed out - use the comment form below.

General Licences - restrictions in Scotland

General Licences is a topic that is easily overlooked but their profile has been raised by recent events in Scotland. They are issued annually by all the devolved administrations in the UK and run from 1 January.  See the BASC website for links.

First, what are they? The BASC website contains the following definition: 'General licences are issued by government agencies to provide a legal basis for people to carry out a range of activities relating to wildlife. By definition you do not need to apply for general licences but you are required by law to abide by their terms and conditions.'

In Scotland, the significance of General Licences has been raised by changes introduced into the 2014 licences. There are 14 General Licences and the SNH Website has full details and links.  The first three licences are most relevant to the Trust's activities, and the late changes introduced into these  licences have implemented the Minister for Environment's wish to be able to remove the right to use the General Licence from people on certain areas of land. The clause that has been introduced states:
"SNH reserves the right to exclude the use of this General Licence by certain persons and/or on certain areas of land where we have reason to believe that wild birds have been taken or killed by such persons and/or on such land other than in accordance with this General Licence."

Robbie Kernahan, the Wildlife Operations Unit Manager for SNH, is leading on this and he was interviewed on the the Out of Doors programme on Radio Scotland on 1 March.  The interview lasts for about 5 mins and starts at 23:50 - it will be available to 'listen again' until 7 March.

Understandably the ability to remove the right to use the General Licences without a criminal conviction has raised concerns.  See the GWCT website for a commentary, but in general the concerns are that:

• The measures are not proportionate;
• Removal could have serious collateral impacts on conservation through the inability to maintain biodiversity and protect a range of vulnerable species; and
• The economic impact on businesses and communities could be considerable.

There will be an opportunity to apply for reinstatement of the General Licence on a personal basis but there are obvious concerns about how and when this could be implemented. A recent meeting to discuss how the criteria to be applied before a General Licence can be removed has highlighted these concerns. Indications are that SNH will rely on Police Scotland for guidance on proof, and this raises questions about the competence of the police in this area.

Is this an example where the need to be seen to be doing something about the illegal killing of raptors will result in collateral damage to other species that will be self-defeating?  It is certain to produce a whole raft of bureaucracy, which I fear will not provide any benefit for the birds, the innocent victims of this problem.

While I despair at the continuation of illegal activities, I would like to see emphasis placed on positive measures rather than waving the big stick.  I hope the 'Understanding Predation' project that Scotland's Moorland Forum is developing will prove to be a far more effective use of resources and achieve benefit for the birds without risking a negative impact on other conservation.

Golden eagle shot near Southern Upland Way

See the BBC news article for details of this completely defenceless act of mindless stupidity.