Grouse moor management provides the greatest environmental, social and economic benefits

A new report published today (Tuesday 8 August, 2023) concludes that, based on the environmental, social and economic definitions used by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, moorland managed for driven grouse shooting provides greater overall benefits than any alternative use. The new report titled ‘Sustainable driven grouse shooting?’ highlights that grouse shooting is not an isolated activity; rather it is part of a complex mix of activities that result in more positive outcomes for people and nature than any alternative uses. 

If the UK government is to meet its legally binding target of protecting 30% of land for nature by 2030, it must take note of the environmental benefits of grouse moor management, as any attempt to change that could leave the UK with significantly lower levels of biodiversity. The report, which was peer reviewed by academics from four UK universities, looks both at the sustainability of grouse shooting, and the various alternative uses of moorland that have been put forward by others. It encompasses the full meaning of ‘sustainability’, and it makes clear that integrated moorland management is a complex issue with numerous strands. If one strand is taken away, such as driven grouse shooting, the environmental, social and economic implications would be considerable. 

The majority of upland areas where driven grouse shooting takes place have developed a sustainable model of operation. They are a biodiversity success story, with species of threatened ground-nesting bird such as curlew, lapwing, golden plover, red grouse and meadow pipit breeding successfully, and in greater numbers, than elsewhere in the uplands. And raptors, such as merlin, buzzards and hen harriers are now at the highest level in decades. The report found that the advantages that grouse moor management brings to some of the most remote areas of the UK are vast, benefiting the agriculture sector, tourism, human and animal health, and carbon sequestration and flood control through moorland management and restoration practices. The full report can be read here, or alternatively a summary of the report is available here.