In September 1958, Lord Ashtown wrote to The Field lamenting the fact that due to habitat loss and afforestation, grouse stocks on the heather moorlands of County Galway and elsewhere in Ireland were so reduced that gamekeepers were no longer employed, vermin of every kind had rapidly increased and “many of us have taken part in our last grouse drive”. This conservation disaster impacted on all moorland birdlife and was compounded when headage payment subsidies were introduced in 1975, inevitably encouraging overgrazing. By 2000, the entire population of Irish grouse (Lagopus lagopus hibernicus), a sub-species of willow grouse, was estimated at less than 200 breeding pairs and in 2003 they were red-listed by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) as an endangered species.
Over a 10-year period from 1997, the owners of the sporting rights, Antrim Estates Ltd, carried out grouse counts on the 1,000- acre Glenwherry Hill, a once-productive moor near Ballymena in Northern Ireland. This demonstrated conclusively that the Irish grouse population remained static at only three to four breeding pairs and other ground-nesting moorland birds – pipits, skylarks, waders – and Irish hares were either nonexistent or drastically reduced.
TRUST FORMED
This tragic situation was replicated across the uplands of Ireland and in 2007 Lord Dunluce (Antrim Estates Ltd), Peter Mackie of Lissanoure Castle, Adrian Morrow (managing director of Antrim Estates) and other like-minded associates established the Irish Grouse Conservation Trust (IGCT). Based on Glenwherry Hill with an adjacent 6,000 acres of rough moorland over which Antrim Estates own the sporting rights, their key objective was to conserve the depleted grouse population and habitat of the natural uplands in Ireland, to raise awareness and create viable, successful and attainable conservation goals benefitting a wide range of species.
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Denne historien er fra March 2020-utgaven av The Field.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Going over old ground
Forget modern tractors and minimum tillage - there is something glorious about the sight of farmer, horse and vintage plough in perfect harmony
Return of the natives
There is nothing as satisfying as creating a magical miniature woodland or conservation hedgerow using our native trees - and now is the best time to start.
Tagging the Cornish tunny
Enormous Atlantic bluefin tuna are once again making waves in UK waters almost a century after their showstopping appearance in the North Sea
In it for the long haul
It may have fallen out of favour at the elite level but long-format three-day eventing is still proving popular with grassroots riders
Unpicking the story of hunt buttons
These treasured tokens are bestowed only upon those who go above and beyond in service of their hunt but the rules around them can be complex
A place of tradition in the heart of town
Cordings has helped shape the sartorial landscape of Britain for 185 years, with its classic country tailoring a firm staple of many sporting wardrobes
Don't play it by ear
Hearing loss can have a devastating impact on day-to-day life, making ear protection a non-negotiable piece of field kit
Back to base-ics
Britain's famously unpredictable climate can make staying comfortable in the field a challenge but the right under layers can be a game changer
Stand and deliver
A good stance provides the platform for shotgun marksmanship and is fundamental to consistent success in the field or breaking clays
Heaven is a High Four
A team of guns enjoy a day of the finest sport Devon has to offer, courtesy of the GWCT and a quartet of generous shoot owners