A new peer-reviewed scientific study has revealed that burning on deep peat is widespread on many Scottish grouse moors.
This is despite a revision to the national guidelines (the Muirburn Code) in 2017 which states that burning on peatland should not take place unless it is part of a habitat restoration plan approved by the statutory regulator, NatureScot.
It’ll come as no surprise whatsoever to regular blog readers that these findings suggest that the revised guidelines ‘have not been widely adopted by land managers‘.
The paper, Assessment of peatland burning in Scotland during 1985-2022 using Landsat imagery, was authored by B.D. Spracklen and D.V. Spracklen and was published on 14 December 2023 in the journal Ecological Solutions and Evidence.
Here’s the study area, which includes a large portion of Scotland’s grouse moors:
Here’s the abstract:
This new paper should help inform MSPs and Ministers as we approach Stage 2 of the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill in January, where proposals to introduce a licensing scheme for muirburn are set to be challenged by the grouse-shooting sector, which seems to think that burning the moors to facilitate excessively large numbers of red grouse for a few selfish people to shoot for fun is more important than the global climate crisis.
Yet again, what this latest paper does is to demonstrate that any licensing scheme will require robust monitoring AND enforcement measures for it to be effective because if that’s not in place, the entitled ones will simply carry on as normal.
The paper is open access and can be read/downloaded here:
UPDATE 17 January 2024: Wildlife Management & Muirburn Bill – will it properly protect peatlands? (here)
UPDATE 23 January 2024: Extent of burning on Scottish peatlands, including many grouse moors, is why regulation is needed urgently (here)
Raptor Persecution UK 
A crucially important paper at this moment in time, which appears to confirm what many of us living in these areas see on a regular basis with our own eyes. The Scottish government must take notice of this, and hold the shooting industry to account.
Haven’t read it yet but thinking that the people of Brechin, when working out why they were so badly flooded recently, must look to those grouse moors in the hills above them and find the answer there.
You’re right, tho. Without enforcement, a law is useless. Here’s hoping the MSPs are on the ball
No surprise to me. During my 20 year stay in the Angus Glens the gamekeeping community broke every rule/guideline in the book. Working one landrover I used to sit and watch them light one fire, leave it, drive 50 .to a 100 yards and proceed to light another. This process continued until as many as 5 areas were eith burning or smouldering. No steep .gulleys or wetlands were avoided. They burnt on windy days and hill fires were not uncommon.
They simply believe themselves to be so protected by the powers of their employers that there is no risk in such practises.
The passing of the new Muirburn laws/guidence will have to be well policed and penalties severe to stop any illegal and damaging behaviours that are standard practice in these areas. This is one of the areas where thise actually doing the burning must be targeted and anyone found guilty of breaking environmental or wildlife laws or guidelines should have their firarm licenses removed immediately. In my opinion that would cut these types of offences by up to 95 per cent if such a penalty existed and was liberally enacted.
Fine them £100,000 for each illegal burning.
Hit these basT*#ds where is hurts in their pocket.
Agree with this line it is the only way to stop them and also take back the benefits (subsidies) paid out to them for the area’s of land damaged, otherwise the public are paying out on a fraudulent claim
Like any legislation (e.g fox hunting, littering etc.), unless it is monitored and enforced people will continue to flout the rules/laws. With overstretched police forces (we are led to believe) and remote areas where these atrocities are carried out I wonder how much progress will be made.
The current code is very vague and open to deliberate misinterpreting. That is why it is not fit to form the basis for licencing.
These estates are a law unto themselves it’s the same in north Yorkshire I could see a massive fire a few weeks ago from the main road after work it was unbelievable we thought it was accidental but it wasn’t the locals couldn’t breathe the wind got hold of it I couldn’t believe it.
Obviously they can’t be trusted, therefore an outright ban needs to be implemented.