Keepers must brush up on pest control
New research, which was published on 7 April by the Campaign Against Accidental or Illegal Poisoning (CAIP), has shown that gamekeepers in England could significantly benefit from attending regular refresher courses on pest control and the use of pesticides.
The research showed that though gamekeepers have a high awareness of legal control methods, access to formal training courses could be improved. It is reassuring that our survey highlights the fact that the majority of gamekeepers are conscious of the wider impact of pesticides, a CAIP spokesman said. However, the quality of advice given to gamekeepers needs to be better, especially for those looking to control rodents, as the research shows they only occasionally take external advice or sign up for training programmes.
The study, which surveyed 106 gamekeepers and farmers, was carried out in October 2008. Its objectives were to determine current practices regarding use of rodenticides and slug pellets for pest control, to identify the factors impacting on the responsible use of rodenticides and to identify the sources of advice and information used by gamekeepers and farmers.
The rest of this article appears in 16 April issue of Shooting Times.
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