Category: News

Press release from Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust (25 Oct 2023)

Durrell Reveals Major New Scottish Rewilding Project

An 18,500-acre estate in Perthshire is set to be the home of a 100-year rewilding project managed by Durrell.  

The Trust has secured the lease for Dalnacardoch Estate, which sits entirely within the Cairngorms National Park, halfway between Blair Atholl and Dalwhinnie.  

 This will be Durrell’s first project in Scotland. 

The team has a long-term vision to revive the estate by applying its proven techniques to restoring habitats and ecological processes, as well as recovering iconic missing species such as the capercaillie, which is currently facing extinction in Scotland.   

Durrell’s scientific approach combines hands-on species management with habitat restoration while working alongside local communities and training conservationists.   

Significant ecological audits of the site, to establish the geography, species and habitats, are already taking place. These surveys will be ongoing and continue to inform the long-term strategic vision for rewilding the estate in line with the interests of the wider community and the requirements of being in a national park.  

Durrell’s CEO, Dr Lesley Dickie, said: “This is a transformational moment in the Durrell story. The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries on Earth with a multitude of diminished species and missing ecological functions. We are proud to be a British charity and we have been looking for a landscape-scale restoration project in the UK for several years.  

“Leasing the Dalnacardoch estate offers an incredible opportunity to demonstrate our approach to conservation and transition this estate to a nature-positive landscape that will benefit both local people and wildlife.”   

Durrell’s intention is to have a managed transition away from Dalnacardoch’s historic use as a sporting estate. Instead moving towards a diversified range of activities that will provide economic, social and environmental benefits. 

The team’s immediate focus is on engaging with neighbouring estates and potential partners.  

 Grant Moir, Chief Executive of the Cairngorms National Park Authority, said: “We’re delighted to be working with the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust on the long-term restoration of Dalnacardoch Estate. This collaboration will be vital in helping achieve our National Park Partnership Plan commitments, particularly around ecological restoration, net zero, woodland expansion, peatland restoration, and green skills and training.   

 “It’s also encouraging that Durrell plans to work so closely with neighbouring landowners and with the local community, developing a lasting vision that reflects the unique environmental and cultural heritage of the area.”  

 Professor Carl Jones MBE, Durrell’s Chief Scientist, said: “Durrell is excited to be working on a major restoration project in Britain, bringing six decades of experience in saving species from extinction and rebuilding ecosystems.  In a world where we are seeing major environmental changes and the loss of wildlife, we passionately believe we can address these challenges and make the world a better place. We look forward to restoring the plant and animal communities of Dalnacardoch so that the glens and moors are vibrant with bird song and pulsing with life.”   

The land was bought earlier this year by a family foundation with charitable aims, specifically with the intent to lease it to Durrell for a rewilding project.  

ENDS

This is excellent news for wildlife conservation in Scotland, and especially for this south west corner of the Cairngorms National Park. Part of Dalnacardoch’s boundary is shared with Gaick Estate, managed by Wildland and part of the impressive Cairngorms Connect project, a multi-partner, long-term, landscape-scale rewilding effort.

However, Dalnacardoch, a former grouse-shooting estate, also shares its boundary with a number of other estates (Atholl, Dalnaspidal, North & South Drumochter, and Phones, Etterridge and Cuaick). Some of these estates are still managed (some of them I’d say quite intensively) for driven grouse shooting.

I’m delighted to see Durrell take on a wildlife conservation project in the UK – this is an organisation whose international conservation work is legendary, particularly on the islands of Mauritius and Madagascar in the Indian Ocean which is where I’ve seen their bold and innovative projects recover threatened species and transform and restore ecosystem functionality, at the same time as providing training for literally hundreds of young conservationists (30 years ago I was one of them!), many of whom have gone on to apply that training to their own successful careers in this field.

I really look forward to seeing what they can achieve at Dalnacardoch.

Last Friday I wrote about how Moorland Association Director Ben Ramsden had been convicted at Skipton Magistrates Court for three counts of illegal burning on his grouse moor at Middlesmoor in the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in April 2023 (see here).

At the time, details of the fine imposed by the court were unavailable. I also wrote how his profile had curiously ‘disappeared’ from the Moorland Association website, even though he was still listed as a Moorland Association Director on Companies House documents.

I can now provide an update on those issues.

Ramsden has ‘resigned’ his position as Director of the Moorland Association, according to updated documents. His resignation was lodged at Companies House on 11 October 2023, nine days before his court hearing, presumably because he knew at that stage that he was going to plead guilty to three charges of criminal activity on his grouse moor and so his continued Directorship of the Moorland Association, alongside a conviction, would come under great scrutiny.

Unsurprisingly, the Moorland Association hasn’t mentioned Ramsden’s conviction or resignation as a Director. Not even PR contortionist Amanda Anderson could put a positive spin on that. Besides, I suspect she’s busy formulating campaigns against the reintroduction of beavers, supporting the burning of vegetation on peat-rich grouse moors, supporting the continuation of hen harrier brood meddling and promoting the use of neonicotinoids in her new position as Vice Chair of this lot.

As for Ramsden’s ‘punishment’ from the court for his three offences of illegal burning on a deep peat moor, there’s an article in today’s Craven Herald & Pioneer (here) which states that Ramsden was ordered to pay a grand total of just £925 in fines and costs (£300, £100 and £200 for each fire, a surcharge of £240 and costs of £85). Gosh, that’ll learn ‘im and what a daunting deterrent for anybody else considering of setting fire to their grouse moors, eh?

The article includes some interesting commentary about how the fires were a ‘genuine mistake’ and how there had been ‘ignorance to the regulations’ by Ramsden.

Ignorance? Really? Is this the same Ben Ramsden who not only was a Director of the Moorland Association but who served on DEFRA’s Project Advisory Group for a multi-year project called, ‘Restoration of blanket bog vegetation for biodiversity, carbon sequestration and water regulation’??!

And is this the same Ben Ramsden whose grouse moor was the subject of a five year £1.5 million peatland restoration project undertaken by the Yorkshire Peat Partnership? A project on which after completion in 2020 Ramsden said: “…Our moors are essentially wall to wall deep peat…”?!! (And by the way, how many traps can you see on those logs – that looks like quite intensive predator control to me):

And is this the same Ben Ramsden whose Moorland Association profile said was ‘instrumental in establishing the Nidderdale Moorland Group‘, the same group that repeatedly states on social media posts:

“We do not burn peat, burn peatlands, burn deep peat or blanket bog. All areas are managed under agreement with Natural England and DEFRA“

and whose work ‘restoring peatland‘ was celebrated ‘under the Moorland Association banner‘ (here)?

It seems incomprehensible to me, given his position and experience, that Ben Ramsden would be ‘ignorant’ of the burning restrictions on deep peat. Of course it’d be impossible to prove what exactly he did and didn’t know but it just doesn’t seem credible that he’d be ‘ignorant’ of the risks of lighting fires on his moorland that he has previously described as “wall to wall deep peat“.

The court must have seen some credibility in this mitigation argument though, given that the maximum fine for an offence under this legislation is £1,000 per fire, and Ramsden received just a fraction of that for each one (£100, £200 and £300 respectively).

Had someone other than the landowner (or working under the landowner’s authority) set fire to this blanket bog they could have faced a custodial sentence for arson (criminal damage by fire). It clearly pays to be a landowner.

It’s more than a little sickening that this landowner’s grouse moor can benefit from multi-year, multi-million pound projects (much of it publicly funded) to restore vitally important peatland during a climate emergency, then the landowner can burn it, claim ‘ignorance’ of the rules, and be fined a teeny tiny fraction of the cost of even bringing the prosecution, let alone any damage he caused.

We so desperately need a dedicated environmental justice court, populated by expert judges and backed up with sentencing powers that actually hold people to account.

Grouse moor owner Ben Ramsden was found guilty at Skipton Magistrates Court today of three counts of burning on deep peat on a grouse moor on the Middlesmoor Estate in Nidderdale, Yorkshire on 8 April 2023.

The prosecution related to reports of a fire lit on the grouse moor that was believed to be on a European protected site (Special Area of Conservation / Special Protected Area) and in an area where the peat depth exceeded 4ocm (called ‘deep peat’). Under recent legislation (Heather and Grass etc Burning (England) Regulations 2021, burning is not permitted in such areas without a licence due to the importance of upland peatland habitat as a carbon store.

A report about the fire was made to DEFRA and following an investigation, the Crown Prosecution Service approved four charges and the case was due to be heard today at Skipton Magistrates Court at 2pm:

A number of people attended the court this afternoon only to discover that the case was heard this morning. Interesting. It is thought that Ramsden didn’t appear, but his representative lodged three guilty pleas on his behalf and the fourth charge was withdrawn. It would have been interesting to hear the defence’s argument on that fourth charge.

I understand that the court imposed fines in relation to the three guilty pleas but the amount has not yet been made public.

It’s not clear to me why the CPS charged Ben Ramsden as an individual, rather than charging the Middlesmoor Estate or his fellow co-owner, but his name is on the court documents so I guess there was some reason for that.

Ramsden is a prominent figure in the grouse-shooting world and his conviction will no doubt be embarrassing for the industry. Perhaps that’s why his portrait and biography has mysteriously ‘vanished’ from the list of Board members on the Moorland Association website in the last few weeks. This is what has been removed:

It’s all very curious, as Ramsden is still listed as a Director of the Moorland Association on documents held at Companies House (here).

Ramsden also featured in an article about Middlesmoor Estate published by the Yorkshire Post in July 2021 (here). His gamekeeper is quoted as claiming that burning on this grouse moor is ‘conducted carefully’.

Ramsden’s conviction is the second successful prosecution against a grouse moor owner for burning on deep peat. In May this year, the landowning company Dunlin Ltd was convicted and fined for six offences of burning on deep peat on a grouse moor on Midhope Moors in the Peak District (see here).

It’s good to see DEFRA take enforcement action against criminal grouse moor management in Nidderdale, which is a well-known raptor persecution hotspot. It’s obviously easier to prosecute for illegal burning than for the illegal killing of birds of prey because it’s much harder to hide the evidence of a fire than it is to stamp a poisoned/shot raptor corpse into the peat, hidden from view.

Although we shouldn’t get too carried away with our praise of DEFRA’s enforcement activities – my understanding is that between 30-60 other reports of allegedly unlawful fires have been submitted to DEFRA by a number of individuals, including with supplementary evidence such as photographs, grid references, peat depth measurements and actual time-stamped film footage of the fires, but for reasons that are not clear (or even known), DEFRA has chosen not to proceed with enforcement action in those cases. Hmm.

The evidence for the two successful prosecutions originated from reports made by members of the public to the RSPB’s Burn Recording App, where people can submit details of fires/muirburn on grouse moors throughout the UK. The value of this information has just been proven. If you’d like to get involved, read this background information (here) and visit the RSPB’s dedicated reporting website here.

UPDATE 23 October 2023: Moorland Association Director Ben Ramsden resigns & receives inconsequential fine following conviction for illegal burning of his grouse moor (here)

Press release from Trees for Life (18th October 2023):

Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin present new wildlife show from Dundreggan Rewilding Centre in Highlands

Television presenters Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin will be live presenting a week of anarchic and inspiring autumn wildlife programmes from Trees for Life’s Dundreggan Rewilding Centre near Loch Ness in the Highlands from 23-26 October 2023.

Chris, Megan and a team of talented young conservationists will be hosting the new 8 Out of 10 Bats nature series via YouTube from 7.30pm-8.30pm each evening.

The hour-long show will feature live segments, topical films by leading wildlife film-makers, hilarious props, and live wildlife cameras, with content from across the UK and plenty of audience participation.

A public event to meet the 8 Out of 10 Bats team will be held at Dundreggan Rewilding Centre – which lies eight miles from Loch Ness in Glenmoriston on the main road (A887) to the Isle of Skye – at 1:30pm on Saturday 21 October. Chris and Megan will be discussing how we can save nature before it’s too late. Tickets are available at visitdundreggan.co.uk.

Chris Packham, naturalist and broadcaster, said:“At a time when we are being constantly bombarded with so much negative news about our precious wildlife, we want to share our passion for what we love most – all that unparalleled wonder for our natural world, which grips young and old alike. 8 Out Of 10 Bats is about being excited by a love of life – everything which slimes, slithers or stings. But it’s also about making sure young people have a voice and an opportunity to showcase their extraordinary abilities.”

Zoologist and wildlife TV presenter Megan McCubbin said: “I am so excited to be launching 8 Out Of 10 Bats, a truly feel-good wildlife show. We are coming live from two spectacular locations over the course of two weeks, and getting our wildlife nerdiness on! We’re hoping to bring some joy and escapism to these darker evenings and celebrate the species on our doorstep and beyond.”

Laurelin Cummins-Fraser, Dundreggan Rewilding Centre Director, said: “We’re thrilled to be hosting Chris and Megan at the rewilding centre. With calls growing for Scotland to become a Rewilding Nation and restore nature in a big way, the show will be a brilliant way for people to be able to enjoy the Highlands’ stunning landscapes and unique wildlife from the comfort of their homes, and discover more about why rewilding fills us with hope.” 

As well as showcasing a fabulous cascade of wildlife, the programmes will offer a platform for new talent, with a diversity of hosts, an equal split of male and female presenters, and a good number of contributors aged under 25. Young film-makers, conservationists, presenters and campaigners will be supported and empowered to share their skills, ideas and ambitions.

Alongside Chris and Megan, presenters will include 18-year-old conservationist and campaigner Indy Greene, Scottish producer and nature presenter Christina Sinclair, wildlife gardener and environmental science student George Hassall, and City Girl in Nature, Kwesia.  There will be appearances by naturalist and campaigner Lucy Lapwing and wildlife filmmaker James Stevens, with the free-to-view show brought together by producer Fabian Harrison.

Trees for Life opened Dundreggan Rewilding Centre this year, to showcase how rewilding – large-scale nature recovery – can give people inspiring experiences, create jobs and benefit communities, while tackling the climate and nature emergencies. Visitors can explore the 10,000-acre Dundreggan estate, where for 15 years Trees for Life has been restoring the Caledonian forest and its wildlife, from wood ants to eagles. 

Dundreggan lies within Affric Highlands, the UK’s largest rewilding landscape which will potentially cover over 500,000 acres – an initiative led by Trees for Life, Rewilding Europe, and a coalition of communities and landowners.

For more information about Trees for Life, visit treesforlife.org.uk.

8 Out of 10 Bats’ second week will be broadcast from the British Wildlife Centre in England from 30 October-2 November.

ENDS

For more information about 8 Out of 10 Bats please visit their website here

The series begins at 7.30pm on Monday 23rd October 2023 and can be watched exclusively on the 8 Out of 10 Bats YouTube channel here (it’s free!).

The conservation campaign group Wild Justice is seeking the public’s help to uncover information about the release of pheasants and red-legged partridges on or close to protected sites in Norfolk and Suffolk, apparently against the official advice of Natural England but potentially sanctioned by DEFRA Ministers.

Wild Justice has been informed by several anonymous sources that the licensing process for the release of non-native gamebirds on or near to Special Protection Areas (SPAs) isn’t quite as we expect it to be (see Wild Justice blog, here).

It’s alleged that DEFRA Ministers may, in some cases, be either ignoring and/or over-ruling the official advice of the statutory conservation agency, Natural England, not to release gamebirds in specific areas, and instead they may be taking advice from a mystery committee in DEFRA, which probably includes members of the game shooting industry, to override Natural England’s advice and permit the release of gamebirds in these areas.

According to Wild Justice, the licensing process may look something like this:

Wild Justice is attempting to get to the bottom of what’s going on via a series of Environmental Information Requests to Natural England and DEFRA but predictably these have been met with the usual delaying tactics and in some cases, refusals. It will clearly take time to get the information required to fully evaluate what’s going on.

So in the meantime, Wild Justice is asking the public for help with information about potential gamebird releases in two specific areas in Norfolk and Suffolk – the Deben Estuary Special Protection Area, where Natural England refused permission for gamebird releases (see here for information requested by Wild Justice about this site) and the Breckland Special Protection Area, where Natural England permitted gamebird releases but delayed the permitted release dates (see here for information requested by Wild Justice about this site).

If you live locally to these two SPAs and know of any pheasant or red-legged partridge releases there, this season, in or very close to the SPAs (as shown on the maps in the WJ blog links, above), or if you know that gamebird shooting is occurring on these sites this year, then please let Wild Justice know.

Wild Justice can be contacted at: admin@wildjustice.org.uk and all correspondence will be treated in strict confidence.

Thank you.