Exploration of how environmental schemes could pay for predator control have been described as “incredibly exciting and potentially monumental for nature recovery” by the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC).
The news that managing predatory species such as foxes and carrion crows could be included in the new environment land management schemes (ELMS) was published in a Defra update on the schemes and then again in Defra Minister Trudy Harrison MP’s answer to a written parliamentary question.
Recognising the impact that managing foxes and carrion crows can have on ground-nesting birds including curlew, Trudy Harrison MP said:
“We have recently published an update on environmental land management schemes which confirms that we are exploring how actions to do with managing predatory species – when those species are impacting threatened species recovery – will be made available.”
Ian Danby, BASC’s head of biodiversity, said: “BASC has long campaigned for predator control to be treated on a par with habitat management for certain vulnerable species.
“Funding effective predator control through ELMS provides the missing piece of the jigsaw needed to see the recovery of some of our most at-risk species. Plugging this gap will lead to better value for money for the public as we see those vulnerable species recover.
“BASC will continue to feed into the process to ensure the habitat and predator management work undertaken by gamekeepers and others in the shooting community is represented within the government’s decisions.”
ENDS…
Notes to Editors:
- Environment Land Management (ELM) update: how government will pay for land-based environment and climate goods and services. The document states: “Some species have requirements that will need more specific and tailored management, including managing predatory species when those species are impacting threatened species recovery, and we are considering how these bespoke actions will be made available.”
- The written question referencing the exploration of options can be found here.
- ELMS and wildlife management – read more about the subject in BASC’s blog.
