NGO chairman fights back at calls to rewild grouse moors

The National Gamekeepers’ Organisation (NGO) has reacted strongly to a claim that “grouse moors are used as playgrounds for the rich” and should be opened up for the public to enjoy rather than “just an elite few”. 

The claims were made by a David Wilson of Exhall, Warwickshire, in a letter to the Yorkshire Post. He also called for grouse moors to be rewilded, questioned the conservation work carried out by private landowners on moors and queried job and economic contribution figures quoted in the Value of Shooting report 2024. 

NGO chairman David Pooler responded to Mr Wilson, referencing the Sustaining Ecosystems: English Grouse Moors study carried out by the GWCT in 2022. The study highlights the daily activities carried out on grouse moors that increase biodiversity, save threatened species, mitigate climate change and reduce the risk of wildfire. 

The conclusion of the study was that moorland ecosystems managed for grouse shooting deliver a net gain for society as defined by the Government’s long-term sustainability goals. Mr Pooler concluded by strongly suggesting that funding for crucial moorland habitat management would not be available without the considerable input from private landowners.