Stop Government subsidies for grouse shooting.

While the British Government is reducing public spending on schools, hospitals and the most vulnerable in our society, it is paying public subsidies to the owners of thousands of hectares of private grouse moors in northern England and Scotland (1). A day’s grouse shooting costs £7,000. Through the farming subsidies designed to support upland hill farmers, our Government is giving public money to the owners of large grouse estates to support the shooting of animals for sport by a wealthy elite.

The grouse estates are managed to reduce vegetation and eliminate competition from other species. The land is kept bare and open with no tree cover. The red grouse are bred in artificially high numbers to be shot. The landowners who now depend on public subsidies to fund their shooting businesses, could instead generate an income from their land by protecting the rich and diverse wildlife that can thrive on our uplands, and give the public access to be able to enjoy this beautiful, wild environment through wildlife tours and developing sustainable tourism. Genuine conservation bodies are working to regenerate the original Caledonian forest and restoring the rich local wildlife of red squirrels, pine martins, capercaillies, black grouse, osprey and red deer.

1. Defra, December 2013. Consultation on the implementation of CAP reform in England: Summary of responses and government response. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/267987/cap-reform-sum-resp-201312.pdf

(Image courtesy of Wikimedia commons)

Dear Friend


I have created my first ever on-line petition as I feel so strongly about the inequity of the Government subsidising grouse estates for some of the richest people in the country while imposing cuts on essential public services, and its failure to support genuine conservation of the rich and diverse wildlife of our remote moorlands.   Please sign my petition and share with your friends.


Best wishes


Caroline Snow

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