Blogs
1/8/2022 in: GWCT News Blog under: Policy
The EU has announced a temporary derogation from rules on crop rotation and maintenance of non-productive features on arable land for the claim year 2023 in response to the impact of the Ukraine Crisis on food supplies.
12/7/2022 in: GWCT News Blog under: Nature , Policy
Recently a new study was published in Vet Record about badger culling and its relationship with the incidence of bovine tuberculosis (bTB). It was very quickly covered by the news and declared a “landmark study”, with the authors concluding that there is no detectable link between badger culling and any decline in incidence of bTB. However, Defra promptly issued a rebuttal and discounted the study as “methodologically flawed”.
11/7/2022 in: GWCT News Blog under: Policy
Earlier this year the GWCT policy team was invited to respond to a consultation on Environmental Targets. We feel the 25-year Environmental Plan is ambitious, but it will take focused effort to.
Here are our thoughts...
23/6/2022 in: GWCT News Blog under: Policy
Whilst this blog will focus on upland heather moorland, there are important areas of lowland heath, not least the New Forest where the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) has its HQ.
16/5/2022 in: GWCT News Blog under: Policy , Farming
The war in Ukraine has added to the pressures farmers are facing through increasing input costs of the three F’s; fuel, feed and fertiliser. These could be short-term impacts but they come at a time when the industry is facing longer-term upheaval due to reductions in post-Brexit farm support, labour shortages and the impacts of trade and environmental policies.
25/3/2022 in: GWCT News Blog under: Policy
We have long advocated a nuanced approach to tree planting. In 2020, we published an article which stated that “the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust believes that the ‘right tree in the right place’ approach is vital”. It was hugely encouraging, therefore, to see the government reinforcing this approach.
17/3/2022 in: GWCT News Blog under: Farming , Policy
As food consumers we are bombarded by meal deals and multi-buy deals. The focus on the cost of sustaining ourselves is very real given recent food price inflation - and for many a costly monthly outgoing.
24/2/2022 in: GWCT News Blog under: Farming , Policy , Nature
The announcement of the Landscape Recovery element of the Environmental Land Management Scheme was greeted with enthusiasm by those who advocate rewilding approaches.
14/2/2022 in: GWCT News Blog under: Policy
The Government has drawn a line in the sand for the sugar beet industry by stating that by 2023 it is hoped that it will no longer rely on neonicotinoids through developing alternative production strategies.
19/1/2022 in: GWCT News Blog under: Policy
The use of the term “peatland burning” (or peatland fires or burning peat) is factually incorrect and misleading when used in conjunction with criticisms of grouse moor management.