Fieldsports praised by leading scientists

Alastair Balmain

April 29, 2010

Fieldsports have been almost universally good for the hunted species and the non-hunted, non-predators that thrive in the same habitat, according to a new work due to be published next month on the state of the wildlife in Britain and Ireland.

Compiled by a team of 40 of the leading scientists in the area, the book Silent Summer appraises the changes that have occurred in a wide range of wildlife species and their habitats over the past 20 years and outlines urgent priorities for conservation. It traces how species including farmland birds, brown hares, water voles and many butterflies and other insects are in decline because of changing farming practices and loss of habitat, but the 600-page book also praises the vital role fieldsports play in conservation.

The rest of this article appears in 28th April issue of Shooting Times.