GoG News
Heather burning: A traditional tool backed by the latest science and best practice
By Tim Baynes, Director of SLE’s Moorland Group. Setting the heather alight is an idiom that most are familiar with – even if some might not be sure exactly where the phrase originated from. The benefits of controlled heather burning on moorland has long been known to land managers and scientists and the reasons for
Read MoreBIODIVERSITY THE WINNER IN SCOTLAND DESPITE FINANCIAL HIT FROM POOR SEASON
Scotland’s grouse sector has taken a multi-million pound hit due to the poor weather – but that has not dampened the private investment in vital conservation work yielding significant results for the nation’s treasured wildlife. New figures estimate the financial impact of the shoot cancellations to be approximately £38.5m – direct spending on grouse shooting
Read MoreRAISING THE GAME IN THE LAMMERMUIRS - MOOR TO EAT
An event to help raise awareness of where to buy and how to cook local game meat in the Lammermuirs saw Brian Grigor, executive chef consultant for Albert Roux OBE at the Roux Group Scotland, conduct a cookery demonstration for guests at the Dryburgh Abbey Hotel, a magnificent country house hotel in St Boswells in
Read MoreLADY GUNS EN MASSE AS WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN SHOOTING HITS A HIGH
The number of women taking part in both clays and game shooting, such as grouse, in Scotland has risen steadily over the past few years, breaking the stereotypical male dominated image of country sports. The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) has welcomed the influx of women into shooting sports in recent years and
Read MoreCOUNTRYSIDE ORGANISATIONS SUPPORT OFFICIAL REVIEW OF GROUSE MOOR MANAGEMENT
Countryside and wildlife organisations today appealed for the Scottish Government-led review into grouse moor management to be allowed to take its course in the interests of rural Scotland. The British Association of Shooting and Conservation, The Scottish Countryside Alliance, Scottish Land & Estates and the Scottish Association of Country Sports issued a joint statement as
Read MoreMOORLAND ESTATES SHINE AT SCOTTISH LAND & ESTATES ‘HELPING IT HAPPEN’ AWARDS
Moorland estates won a clutch of prizes and nominations at the prestigious Helping It Happen Awards, announced last night in Edinburgh. The winner of the Enhancing our Environment Award was Philiphaugh Estate in the Borders, for its peatland restoration work and the other two finalists in this category were grouse-shooting estates, with Invercauld Estate and
Read MoreGAMEKEEPERS GO HEAD TO HEAD WITH CELEBRITY CHEFS IN BATTLE FOR COVETED NATIONAL GAME AWARD
Gamekeepers from Angus Glens Moorland Group (AGMG) are battling it out with some of the country’s top celebrity chefs to be crowned ‘Game Hero’ in this year’s Eat Game Awards. The national Eat Game Awards is an exciting initiative aimed at recognising and helping to develop game as a healthy and modern addition to
Read MoreHOTEL TRADE SUFFERS DUE TO POOR GROUSE SHOOTING SEASON
Hoteliers in Scotland have reported a downturn in business due to the widespread cancellations of shoot programmes. Approximately 70% of grouse shooting days have been cancelled this season because of the extreme weather conditions across most of Scotland earlier this year. Hotels, pubs and other businesses in rural areas are reliant on the trade generated
Read MoreTHE MOOR THE MERRIER AS GROUSE SHOOTING SEASON GETS UNDER WAY
Country sports enthusiasts took to Scotland’s moors today to mark the official start of the grouse shooting season – despite predictions that weather conditions are set to ruin prospects for this year. Forneth Moor in Perthshire echoed to the sound of shotguns this morning as a shooting party organised by the Scottish Country Sports Tourism
Read MoreECONOMIC IMPACT FROM POOR GROUSE SEASON IN LAMMERMUIRS
Young people, pensioners and migrant workers will lose out on over 500 days of seasonal work in the Lammermuir Hills this year due to cancelled grouse shooting, a new survey has found. Grouse shooting brings UK and international visitors to the region each year, providing a welcome economic injection to the local villages. However, extremes
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