A FESTIVAL which raises awareness of an extremely urgent conservation issue is taking place this weekend at Bolton Castle, Yorkshire (June 2 to 4).
The North of England Curlew Festival (NECF) is celebrating our local curlew population as well as pledging its support to the plight throughout the UK.
The iconic bird has suffered a staggering 64 per cent decline from 1970 to 2014 and, if this trend continues, it could disappear from the English countryside.
The Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust’s (GWCT) director of communications and marketing, Andrew Gilruth, said: “This is an extremely important conservation issue, and one we are putting a huge amount of energy into.”
“GWCT is already engaged in research to halt this decline and we will provide the latest news, best practice advice and guidance for those that are looking to protect their nesting curlew.”
GWCT has launched the ‘Action for Curlew’ initiative which can be accessed online and encourages people to log breeding pairs on their land so GWCT can assess which measures are needed across the country in order to try to save this bird.
Mr Gilruth is attending the NECF as part of a panel discussion on the future of curlew and GWCT director of upland research Dave Baines will be giving a talk on curlew at the event.
Visitors will be able to enjoy a range of fun-filled activities, from guided curlew safaris to an art exhibition, poetry, music and also some talks and training for those with an interest in getting more involved in conservation.
Organising the event is environmental journalist and writer Karen Lloyd, Mary Colwell, who walked 500 miles to raise awareness for curlews and since helped set up the Irish Curlew Task Force and Slimbridge Curlew Conference. Tom Orde-Powlett will be hosting.
To book places on any of the activities, please email tom@boltoncastle.co.uk or call Bolton Castle on 01969 623981.
Interested in supporting our Action for Curlew campaign, click here https://www.gwct.org.uk/action-for-curlew/
Notes to editors
The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust – providing research-led conservation for a thriving countryside. The GWCT is an independent wildlife conservation charity which has carried out scientific research into Britain’s game and wildlife since the 1930s. 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.
For information, contact:
Eleanor Williams
Telephone: 07592 025476
Email: press@gwct.org.uk