2026

Climate projections present a challenging future for our upland peatlands and the carbon stored in them. But little analysis has been made of the effectiveness of the peatland restoration techniques employed, given the investment of taxpayers’ money by government. Peaky BlindSpots was a project that sought to fill this gap.

The new Minister of State for Food Security and Rural Affairs, Stephen Morgan, is to be welcomed into his important new role during one of the most consequential months in the department’s history – the rollout of what must, surely, be the final iteration of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) after a decade of arrested development and false starts under his six predecessors.

Too often we sit in our various roles, comfortable in the knowledge we have and the language we use, without considering how others might perceive what we are saying or even understand.

England’s flagship farming scheme returns, but funding gaps and policy missteps threaten both nature and food production.

Later this year, the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust will be working to develop fair co-existence between wildcats and people. GWCT will liaise with estates and practitioners in the wildcat release area to facilitate tracking and develop best practice guidance to mitigate gamebird impacts. The Trust also aims to build evidence recording to support wildcat capture and relocation licences, engaging with key partners, communities and government agencies.

The just published RSPB/Leeds University paper on the negative impact that prescribed burning has on air quality through modelling provides a useful contribution to the debate on the role of prescribed or managed burning in ecosystem service delivery. But it should not be the sole basis for policy determination.

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.

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.

With the manifestoes from the leading parties taking part in the Scottish Parliament election now available, we’ve summarised the key rural discussion points emerging from the documents.

This year’s Game Shooting Conference was, for the first time in six years, held in association with the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust and kindly hosted by Holland & Holland shooting ground. The event was attended by almost 100 individuals representing porting agents, cartridge manufacturers, countryside organisations, shoot managers and gamekeepers from across the UK.