Some good news to start the week!
At the recent REVIVE conference in Perthshire I met a couple of people from a relatively new Scottish-based charity called the KITH Trust, who, along with the University of Edinburgh, had earlier this year bought the Glen Turret Estate in Strathbraan, Perthshire.
Regular blog readers will know that Strathbraan is dominated by a number of estates with driven grouse moors and the area has been identified in a Government-commissioned report as being a hotspot for raptor persecution. It’s also the area where NatureScot (formerly SNH) licensed a controversial raven cull in 2018 (see here) but then came under fire from its own scientific advisory committee who stated the scientific rigour of the licence was “completely inadequate“.
Glen Turret Estate has been at the centre of police investigations into alleged wildlife crime over a period of many years (no prosecutions or General Licence restrictions, natch) so the news that it is under new management and no longer operating as a driven grouse moor is very welcome indeed.
This should mean an end to the use of things like crow-cage traps, commonly deployed [legally!] on grouse moors in all seasons, where non-target species like this Long-eared owl can no longer be caught and held for over 24 hrs in appalling weather conditions (photo by RSPB).
This screengrab shows the new ownership details, from Andy Wightman’s brilliant website, Who Owns Scotland:
This map shows the boundary of the area under Kith Trust management, in addition to the Barvick Burn Wood, now under the management of the University of Edinburgh:
The Kith Trust has kindly provided some information about its plans, for publication on this blog:
The KITH Trust (SC049902), a small Scottish family run charity, took on stewardship of Glenturret Estate in January 2024 in partnership with the Department for Social Responsibility and Sustainability at The University of Edinburgh to facilitate their similar goals of ecological restoration.
KITH Trust is dedicated to restoring and protecting natural ecosystems and supporting biodiversity as well as supporting local community activities and enterprise.
The University intends to fence off part of the estate for a mixed tree planting scheme. They have carried out a community engagement project, archaeological surveys and ecological surveys to ensure any activities are undertaken to work with the natural environment and local communities.
KITH Trust has stewardship of the remainder, mainly hill ground. This land has historically been dedicated to the preservation of red grouse. This practice is no longer a primary aim of Glenturret Estate and it no longer operates as a driven grouse moor. There is a farming enterprise on Glenturret that has been in operation for many years. One of the aims of KITH is to reduce, over time, grazing pressure through farming practices that look after both agriculture and the environment. Another is to restore peatland areas. As a result natural regeneration is supported. Active deer management will be undertaken in collaboration with other members of the South Perthshire Deer Management Group and in conjunction with Nature Scot.
ENDS
The University of Edinburgh has a useful website outlining its plans for the restoration of Barvick Burn Wood here.
No doubt certain organisations from the grouse shooting sector will be very unhappy at the loss of another driven grouse moor and over the coming months/years will be misrepresenting the ecological restoration work, just as they have done with other rewilding efforts (e.g. here).
Some of us don’t want to wait for the buy-out of individual driven grouse moors, we’d like to see a widespread ban on driven grouse shooting sooner rather than later. If you share that view, please sign the new petition from Wild Justice calling for a ban – HERE.
Raptor Persecution UK 
Thank you for such positive news on a Monday morning, Ruth!
I hope we are seeing the beginning of the end of destructive ‘sport’ and a move toward the restoration of the land. May there be many more such examples by progressive thinking people.
Aaah, and breathe! A breath of fresh air on this gloomy day, thank you Ruth! As with the Tarras Valley, I’ll be interested to follow progress.
Excellent news. Let’s hope they intend to leave a good amount of land to rewild itself ‘just to see wh
This is very welcome news, especially for sedentary species: an oasis in the middle of a mine field.
Which species are ‘sedentary species’ please I’m sorry I don’t know, thanks.
“Which species are ‘sedentary species’”Ones which do not stray onto surrounding driven grouse moors: predators, in particular:-(
Nice to read some good news for a change Ruth, thank you.
And excellent news that an estate with driven grouse moors has now changed ownership and that the ‘KITH Trust is dedicated to restoring and protecting natural ecosystems and supporting biodiversity as well as supporting local community activities and enterprise.‘
Great news for all raptors, as well as other wildlife, in that area also; hoping, therefore, that it will reduce, and end, the persecution done to them by the grouse shooting fraternity over the many years
Just to nitpick – this estate is in Strathearn, not Strathbraan.
[Ed: thanks, I know, but this is the area we refer to as Strathbraan, to identify it as the same area where the so-called ‘Strathbraan Community Collaboration for Waders’ was given a licence to cull ravens by SNH in 2018]
Very good news for an estate which, fifteen or so years ago, had several productive harriers before the lights suddenly went out with a change of management. It’s in Strathearn surely, a long way from Strathbraan.
Fabulous news! And thanks for your website.
This is very good news. Another nail in the coffin of driven grouse shooting. I shall watch progress with interest.
Driven Grouse shooting is to cease but, are they still going to allow for walked up shooting?
Brilliant news, another one gone. They bleat on about how wonderful Grouse moor management is but the truth is it is failing, since 2021, a long dry spell in spring and early summer produced few insects for the newly hatched young grouse, that year was the worst for decades for shooting with many estates having little surplus, The following year was little better, what was supposed to be a recovery year was hampered by high Worm burdens and poor Heather due to infestations by Heather Beetle. this year Spring was a washout and once again many shooting days were cancelled. As reported some time ago on RPUK blog some estates are building release pens for Red legged Partridge on some moors just so paying guests have something to shoot, who the hell is going to pay Grouse prices to shoot a non native species they can shoot on a multitude of lowland estates for a fraction of the price. The Grouse shooting industry sold its soul to the Agents for profit, The agents got rid of the old keepers who wouldn’t do what the agents wanted them to do, half the keepers they took on to do the dirt could not recognise half the species of birds on the moors. xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx words not mine. you can call it Karma or they are now reaping what they have sown but I would not be surprised to see even more moor owners selling up.
[Ed: Thanks, Merlin. You’ll need to provide a link to demonstrate those are the words of the person you identified. I can’t publish your claim without first seeing evidence to support it because if your claim is inaccurate I’m then open to a libel challenge]
hi Ruth, published in Patrick Galbraith’s book “In search of one last song ” In a chapter about Hen Harrier’s
[Ed: Thanks, Merlin]
Good news, Indeed.
Excellent news fight the good fight. You have some good points Merlin our grouse moors Rosedale and Westerdale are sad sorry sites burnt heather hardly any wildlife just rabbits. Bleak sad.
Excellent news indeed. To quote. Freddie Mercury “Another one bites the dust”. I hope the woodland management by Edinburgh University will prioritise natural regeneration of native species.
It remains to be seen quite how this change pans out, but with fairly recent change next door but one at what’s now called Invergeldie Conservation there is hope this blackspot in Strathearn will be transformed.
[Ed: Thanks Bimbling. Last para deleted as libellous]
Oh! Sorry. Thanks for the deletion then.
NB I saw today that Fordie Estate, nestled between Invergeldie and Glenturret is for sale. Interesting times.
Hi Ruth,
Regarding the good news about Glen Turret estate, you might be interested to read a poem about the loch in the glen. It was written by Robert Burns in 1787. I think the last verse is particularly poignant.
Many thanks for all you do to protect birds from the mindless and the cruel.
All the best,
Maurice
Poem by Robert Burns
On Scaring Some Water Fowl In Loch Turit
Why, ye tenants of the lake,
For me your wat’ry haunt forsake?
Tell me, fellow-creatures, why
At my presence thus you fly?
Why disturb your social joys,
Parent, filial, kindred ties?
Common friend to you and me,
Nature’s gifts to all are free:
Peaceful keep your dimpling wave,
Busy feed, or wanton lave;
Or, beneath the sheltering rock,
Bide the surging billow’s shock.
Conscious, blushing for our race,
Soon, too soon, your fears I trace,
Man, your proud, usurping foe,
Would be lord of all below:
Plumes himself in freedom’s pride,
Tyrant stern to all beside.
The eagle, from the cliffy brow,
Marking you his prey below,
In his breast no pity dwells,
Strong necessity compels:
But Man, to whom alone is giv’n
A ray direct from pitying Heav’n,
Glories in his heart humane
And creatures for his pleasure slain!
In these savage, liquid plains,
Only known to wand’ring swains,
Where the mossy riv’let strays,
Far from human haunts and ways;
All on Nature you depend,
And life’s poor season peaceful spend.
Or, if man’s superior might
Dare invade your native right,
On the lofty ether borne,
Man with all his pow’rs you scorn;
Swiftly seek, on clanging wings,
Other lakes and other springs;
And the foe you cannot brave,
Scorn at least to be his slave.