GWCT News Blog

We would urge all members and supporters to respond to the consultation on the Schedule 2.1 quarry list review to help ensure regulation is based on evidence. Defra is proposing several changes, which have little data to support them, fail to acknowledge evidence of self-regulation and voluntary restraint, and risk being counterproductive.

The EFRA Select Committee is calling for evidence of wildfire risk and response from experts and members of the public with direct or indirect experience

A year into his role as director of GWCT Scotland, Dr Nick Hesford is on a mission to ensure that science, not political assumption, determines the fate of our most cherished landscapes.

Something I have continued to experiment with this winter is what I call the “conservation lay” approach to hedgerow management. 

Last summer we shared an update on the Corn Bunting Project, explaining how detailed fieldwork and chick diet analysis were helping us understand why this once‑common farmland bird continues to struggle. Since then, another breeding season has passed, and it proved to be a challenging one.

Mild winters, periods of flooding and then extended dry spells are increasingly becoming part of the UK’s new climate reality. Managing these extremes is no easy task for farms, or for the people and wildlife that depend on them.

The Wheat Genetic Improvement Network (WGIN) is a Defra-funded partnership undertaking comprehensive research with view to enhancing wheat crop resilience and adaptability. 

Over the last few years, it’s become increasingly clear that farming businesses cannot rely on stability as a given. 

In mid-April the Allerton Project was pleased to host senior representatives from Defra. This was the second time in recent years that Allerton has hosted this senior team and follows recent engagement with the Defra ministerial team in 2025 and shadow farming minister earlier this year.

Following the success of the guided walks over different grouse moors in early April, we were very pleased to organise a similar visit for Scottish Government Wildlife Management and Natural Environment Bill team members. Taking place on Burncastle Moor near Lauder in the Scottish Borders, it was a useful opportunity to discuss upland management, assess practicalities, and exchange thoughts on current legislative requirements.