Following an article in The Times titled 'RSPB fights officials over hen harriers' (Friday 7th December 2018) we sent the following letter to the Times:
Sir,
Your article on the RSPB's attempt to block brood management for hen harriers (RSPB fights officials over hen harriers) misrepresented the proposals. The brood management scheme is an exciting, innovative trial, taking eggs and chicks into captivity to rear them safely and release them back into the wild to see if it helps boost the numbers of hen harriers in England. Brood management is used to increase harrier numbers elsewhere in Europe and the RSPB uses it to help the spoon-billed sandpiper. It is extraordinary that anyone calling themselves a conservationist would seek to deny the potential benefits of brood management to the hen harrier without even a trial. The RSPB have allowed themselves to be led down a very unfortunate path.
Regards,
Adrian Blackmore
Director of Shooting for Countryside Alliance