It's disappointing to see emotion has overshadowed science (Ban on pheasant shooting on Welsh land now in effect, March 2).
Our scientific studies have shown that pheasant shoots, which implement good habitat management and follow codes of practice, can deliver significant biodiversity benefits.
The GWCT submitted extensive evidence to Natural Resources Wales supporting these claims, but it was ignored when the final decision was made.
We recently commissioned an independent poll which asked 1,000 people in Wales whether they wanted pheasant shooting to continue, and 61% responded yes.
The poll also showed that 57% of people say the Welsh Government was wrong to ignore the Natural Resources Wales’ evidence review and 85% say the benefits of shooting are poorly understood. This contradicts the findings from League Against Cruel Sports, as published in your article on 2 March.
Consequently, the decision not only puts many jobs at risks, but is a hammer blow for wildlife.
Sue Evans
Director of GWCT Wales
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