Rural organisations fight to save wildlife course 

Fieldsports organisations have written to a Scottish college to support a gamekeeping course. 

BASC, Scottish Countryside Alliance (SCA), Scottish Gamekeepers Association and the Heather Trust wrote to Scotland Rural College to express “strong support for the retention of the HND wildlife and conservation course” at SRUC Oatridge. 

In February the SRUC initiated a review of its operations after its deficit more than doubled to £10.8m in the 2023-24 fiscal year. The college launched a three-year recovery plan. 

The rural group states “the need for skilled practitioners has never been greater” at a time when the Natural Environment Bill is going through Scottish parliament. “Losing this course would be a significant setback: both for the students… and for the wider conservation and wildlife management sector that relies on such well-trained graduates,” it says. 

Jake Swindells, director of the Scottish Countryside Alliance, said: “I can’t understate how valuable this course is. When the Scottish government is looking to retain youngsters in the countryside, allowing the likes of SRUC to withdraw courses like this means only one thing – depopulation. That is something we are trying to fight against.”