“Traditional sporting estates embody the selfish greed of a Victorian era, outdated and ludicrous“, said leading conservationist Dick Balharry during his recent acceptance speech for the RSG’s Geddes Medal.
Quite.
There’s a good write up on this on Rob Edwards’ website here.
Raptor Persecution UK 
Give the man a cigar!
They certainly embody the arrogance of a certain class of people who look down on the rest of us
Couldn’t agree more!
Very sorry to hear that Dick Balharry has terminal cancer, an extremely well respected figure in Scottish conservation who has done so much excellent work and has pushed for sane deer populations in Scotland for years. Good god not only are we saddled with driven grouse shooting, but traditional stalking – i.e deer deserts, not one, but two lunacies world ‘famous’ because of their uniqueness. Are we some Thailand for field sports, you can do something vile and damaging here you can’t at home?
Remember when the SGA tried to raise public fears that sea eagles could be a danger to children? Well these were exactly the same characters who have fought tooth and nail to stop deer culling that would help end degradation of the land, increase the welfare of the deer themselves (a woodland animal forced to live on windswept hills) and reduce the incidence of road accidents which KILL people. I will repeat that, excessive deer numbers increase the risk that people will DIE on the road. Can anyone come up with another example of such blatant, puke inducing hypocriscy? Dick Balharry has no time left for not speaking the truth at full voice and should be the standard for every genuine conservationist in the country.
Was there ever a point in trying to compromise with something that is essentially irrational and selfish? About as ethically sound and productive as asking the Klu Klux Klan around for a cup of tea and seeing if we could find some ‘middle ground’. Was never going to happen and shouldn’t have been considered in first place – the traditional sporting estates are just utter, utter shite for wildlife, the land, rural communities, the educated and the decent.
Well said, Les. Spot on!
Brilliant comment Les really gets to the heart of the problem. Seeing this years spring heather burning and just get so angry at what these mindless vandals are doing to my country.
Well said Les. Very sorry to learn of Dick Balharry’s terminal cancer.
The SGA and their members are the scourge of the Scottish landscape and countryside.
Sadly, Dick Balharry has passed away only days after receiving this award.
http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-32421262
Thank you for posting this news Paul, very saddened to learn of this.