Blogs

Style and Practicality is achievable!

1 April 2020 heralded ‘all change’ to the practice of tunnel trapping throughout the UK, and the change will likely have most impact where wild game populations are being managed, with its inevitable emphasis on stoat and weasel control. Landowners, managers and keepers must all embrace this change – like it or not.

World Curlew Day is a grassroots initiative, supported by major environmental organisations, to raise awareness of the plight of curlews and to encourage activities to help them. We cannot simply preside over extinction. We must take the opportunity to assess all practical options at our disposal to safeguard the future of our curlews.

1 April 2020 heralded ‘all change’ to the practice of tunnel trapping throughout the UK, and the change will likely have most impact where wild game populations are being managed, with an emphasis on stoat and weasel control. Landowners, managers and keepers must all embrace this change – like it or not.

Due to current events the GWCT Scottish Auction will only be taking place online this year - but it's our biggest auction yet - with 161 unique 'money-can't buy' lots available to bid on. Online bidding opens on Sunday 26th April but you can view the auction catalogue here.

If we want to stop the curlew going the way of many other birds, such as the corncrake and the nightjar, we are going to need Defra to allow landowners to resume protecting the curlew’s young on their most important breeding grounds.

If you are able to operate Larsen traps this Spring, are you up to speed with the regulations?

For many years, the GWCT and others have used a figure of 75% for the percentage of upland heather moorland found in the UK. Some have questioned the basis of that estimate and we discuss it here.

Living in the middle of nowhere is difficult at the best of times. But when a global pandemic hits and you’re not allowed near civilisation, different challenges arise. Limited to brief once-weekly interactions with our boss and farm research assistant Marlies, and the occasional grunt and wave from the farmer Allan, it would be easy to start losing your mind a bit. Thankfully, spring was on hand.