The Langholm Moor Demonstration Project, one of the most important projects in the British uplands, has published its seven-year review which outlines what progress this unique 10-year project has made to date against its key targets.
The number of nesting hen harriers exceeded the project target for 2014 and thereby is helping to deliver the objectives of the Langholm and Newcastleton Hills Special Protection Area notified under the EU “Birds” Directive. The moor also supports healthy populations of raptors and short-eared owls whilst black grouse numbers have also increased significantly. However, red grouse numbers have not yet recovered sufficiently to allow driven shooting and this has compromised the desired compatibility between red grouse and raptors. One of the main objectives of the project is to improve grouse production such that grouse shooting again becomes viable enough in economic terms to support moorland management.
The project is charged with demonstrating how to resolve conflicts between moorland management for raptors and red grouse, maintaining the hen harrier population as a viable component of the Special Protection Area, increasing the populations of moorland breeding wading birds and songbirds and extending and improving the heather moorland habitat beyond its state in 2002.
Other salient points from the review are:
- The targets of expanding the area of heather and improving heather condition have both been met
- The population targets have not been met for wading birds, despite some population increases, but have been met for meadow pipits
- Stakeholder engagement has led to a better understanding of moorland management which integrates a viable game shooting enterprise with raptor management and of practicable and acceptable options to resolving current management concerns.
- There is a strong partnership between game management and raptor conservation interests.
The moor covers almost 12,000ha of land owned by Buccleuch Estates to the north east of Langholm and the project is a joint initiative between Buccleuch Estates, the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, Scottish Natural Heritage, the RSPB and Natural England.
Speaking about the review, Mark Oddy, chairman of the project’s board said:
“We are delighted to produce our most substantive report on the project yet. The review shows that the project has met its targets for habitat improvement and for the SPA target for hen harriers, which is good news. However, as yet, red grouse populations have not recovered sufficiently to allow any grouse shooting. This means that we have not yet achieved the desired compatibility between the economic driver of red grouse shooting and raptor conservation.”
The report of the Seven Year Review of the Langholm Moor Demonstration Project is now available on the project’s website.
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Caption: Heather burning, or muirburn, is one of the management tools used to improve habitat on the LMDP.
Notes:
The Langholm Moor Demonstration Project aims to demonstrate an effective means of resolving the raptor-grouse moor controversy by restoring grouse moor management to the Langholm Moor SPA/SSSI as a way of meeting the conservation objectives of the site. In particular we are:
- demonstrating how to resolve conflicts between moorland management for raptors and red grouse
- maintaining the hen harrier population as viable component of the SPA
- extending and improving the heather moorland habitat beyond its state in 2002
- improving grouse production such that grouse shooting again becomes viable enough to support moorland management
This site has become a model for modern, sustainable grouse moor management. The duration of the project is ten years, subject to review every three years.
The work programme comprises four elements:
- Habitat measures. Including heather burning, bracken control, heather restoration, blanket bog management, livestock management and goat control
- Control of predators that prey on grouse. Numbers of foxes, stoats and crows are being reduced, but no protected species will be killed
- Disease control.Medicated grit is used to combat the nematode worm Trichostrongylus which periodically decimates grouse stocks. More details of this technique can be found on theGWCT website.
- Diversionary feeding. Bought-in food is provided to breeding pairs of hen harriers to limit the numbers of grouse chicks they kill.
We will also consider creating alternative nesting and hunting habitat for hen harriers.
We employ a team of gamekeepers to undertake this work and they operate alongside shepherds and ecologists.
The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust is an independent wildlife conservation charity which carries out scientific research into Britain’s game and wildlife. We advise farmers and landowners on improving wildlife habitats. We employ 22 post-doctoral scientists and 50 other research staff with expertise in areas such as birds, insects, mammals, farming, fish and statistics. We undertake our own research as well as projects funded by contract and grant-aid from Government and private bodies. The Trust is also responsible for a number of Government Biodiversity Action Plan species and is lead partner for grey partridge and joint lead partner for brown hare and black grouse.
Scottish Natural Heritage is the government's adviser on all aspects of nature and landscape across Scotland. Our role is to help everyone understand, value and enjoy Scotland's nature now and in the future. For more information, visit our website at www.snh.gov.uk. SNH media is also now on Twitter at twitter.com/SNH_Tweets
Natural England is the government’s independent adviser on the natural environment. Established in 2006 our work is focused on enhancing England’s wildlife and landscapes and maximising the benefits they bring to the public. For more information visit www.naturalengland.org.uk and follow us on Twitter @NaturalEngland
The RSPB is the UK’s largest nature conservation charity, inspiring everyone to give nature a home. Together with our partners, we protect threatened birds and wildlife so our towns, coast and countryside will teem with life once again. We play a leading role in BirdLife International, a worldwide partnership of nature conservation organisations. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is a registered charity. In England and Wales, no: 207076. In Scotland, no: SC037654.