Blogs

The current approach to the Emergency Authorisation of pesticides in the UK is fundamentally weak, it is not being used as was intended and therefore needs to be strengthened.

After the initially patchy emergence of the wheat crops, we got the rain we needed, and they’ve all come through and evened up nicely.

As the leading independent, evidence-based organisation on gamebird management, the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust worked hard to submit a significant body of scientific research to Defra as part of the government’s Call for Evidence on Gamebird Release, Shooting and Welfare during Rearing in England.

This year, like last year, was a challenging one for fish in the River Frome. Trout and salmon have been two focal points of GWCT Fisheries research for decades, providing valuable insights into the health of the wider river ecosystem. Helping the Fisheries team with parr tagging offers a vivid reminder of the many pressures these fish face throughout their lives.

Summer 2026 was another record-breaker. The repeated reporting of broken climate records can give the impression that we are merely watching statistics accumulate, rather than witnessing serious consequences.

The UKHSA are inviting members of the gamebird and waterfowl communities to take part in an important citizen science study! By providing small blood samples from deceased gamebirds, waterfowl and other legal quarry, participants will help support the early detection and monitoring of emerging mosquito-borne diseases in the UK. 

GWCT Head of Education Matt Goodall has taken the opportunity to highlight the environmental benefits of sustainable gamebird management during an interview with Channel 4 News looking at Defra’s Call for Evidence consultation on the topic. 

Everywhere I look just lately there is publicity about bird feeding. As we move through autumn and towards winter, the RSPB is encouraging people to think carefully about how, when and why they feed garden birds. Its recent “Feed Seasonally, Feed Safely” campaign highlights concerns about disease transmission at feeding stations, whilst also emphasising the importance of natural food sources and wildlife-friendly gardens. 

Though it feels like no time at all, the shortening days and dropping temperatures signal the end of my first month with the GWCT; I thought this would be the perfect time to reflect on all we’ve been up to.

The GWCT welcomes the EFRA committee’s report on its wildfire risk and response inquiry.  It provides an important reminder of the widespread demands that wildfires place on the Fire Service and volunteer responders.