“How can shooting and conservation possibly go together?”

Yorkshire Dales Moorland Group

Over the years a great many of the unknowing public have asked a repetitive yet familiar question: “How can shooting and conservation possibly go together?” Whilst those involved with sporting interests have always striven and continue to explain the incredible ‘conservation benefits’ that shooting estates deliver, there is nothing more authentic than a visibly demonstrable result.

The Castle Bolton Estate in Wensleydale under the auspices of Tom Orde-Powlett has made conservation history with the success of Yorkshires first ever breeding ospreys. The estate already has a veritable reputation for conservation work on its managed grouse moor but also on its low ground holdings where habitat creation for hazel dormice and wetland habitat creation for waders have taken place.

The estate has also been a key contributor to the South Downs Curlew project with moorland keepers identifying vulnerable curlew nests and saving eggs from damage or disturbance allowing them to be translocated to Sussex to establish a new curlew population. The success of these Yorkshire ospreys is indicative of an estate with a truly creditable conservation reputation backed by a management team including river staff and moor keepers who should receive the commendations they genuinely deserve.

All managed estates carry out a multitude of conservation measures to enhance their landscapes. Hopefully everyone will begin to recognise that shooting and conservation go together perfectly and the results being delivered are beneficial to everyone within or beyond the shooting fraternity.

Well done to everyone at Castle Bolton Estate.