News Shooting

Royal visit to shooting and conservation project

Shooting news: HRH The Duke of Edinburgh has visited the GWCT’s Allerton Project research and demonstration farm at Loddington, in Leicestershire, where he met staff and saw the results of current farmland conservation research projects.

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During the visit, he was introduced to gamekeeper and Shooting Times contributor James Watchorn and farm manager Phil Jarvis, who explained how they have successfully combined wildlife conservation with intensive crop yields for the benefit of farming and wildlife.

The GWCT?s Dr Alastair Leake, head of the project, said: ?His Royal Highness was a remarkable guest. He is extremely knowledgeable about farming and is acutely aware of the responsibilities that land managers have in delivering both food production and environmental measures.?

?He certainly put us through our paces and it was very gratifying to hear about his own experiences at Sandringham, where wildlife conservation is a vitally important aspect of the shooting estate?s management philosophy.?

The Duke, a patron and life member of the Trust, last visited Loddington in 1994. He was also keen to learn about the new pheasant shooting recently re-established on the farm.