YP Letters: Grouse shooting is vital to managing moors

From: Amanda Anderson, Director, Moorland Association.
GP Taylor's column calling for grouse shooting to be banned has prompted a heated debate.GP Taylor's column calling for grouse shooting to be banned has prompted a heated debate.
GP Taylor's column calling for grouse shooting to be banned has prompted a heated debate.

GP Taylor’s article (The Yorkshire Post, October 24) was a disappointing tirade in that it served only to spread divisive misconceptions about grouse shooting and integrated moorland management.

Mr Taylor fails to recognise the well-established socio-economic and environmental benefits of moorland management for wild red grouse that are widely accepted by conservation bodies and government.

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Managing the unique and rare heather moorland habitat for red grouse helps provide ideal conditions for a broad range of other wildlife to thrive including curlew, golden plover, lapwing, merlin and snipe; a claim supported by National Park survey data.

Contrary to the article’s claims, the role of controlled heather burning is to maintain this precious habitat while 
also creating an ideal environment for an array of wildlife to flourish.

I urge Mr Taylor to at least attempt to understand the wide-ranging benefits of moorland management before embarking on such an onslaught, and I would happily take him on a 
tour of a moor to see the collaborative and effective conservation efforts being undertaken in the uplands managed for grouse shooting.