Our uplands are internationally important habitats for wildlife. Support our campaign for an end to wildlife persecution and intensive moorland management practices.
Our Position
We want to see our moors become a fantastic mosaic of habitats supporting thriving populations of all the variety of wildlife that should live in these inspiring places.
This includes birds of prey such as hen harrier and peregrine as well as moorland species such as mountain hares.
Our Moors Updates
A Win for Whinchats
Another tagged hen harrier disappears from our moors
Moorland burning continues despite devastating effects on wildlife and climate
Hen Harrier Day 2020 – Online
What we have done and will do
- In June 2021 we contacted our local MPs with a briefing note on these issues and asked them to attend a parliamentary debate on driven grouse shooting.
- In April 2021 our Chief Executive Liz Ballard met with Olivia Blake MP in our Sheffield Lakeland Landscape Partnership area to discuss moorland burning and other intensive moorland management issues.
- In November 2020 we contacted our local MPs with a briefing note on moorland burning and asked them to attend a parliamentary debate on the issue.
- In August 2020 we held an online meeting with Jose Tavares, Director at Vulture Conservation Foundation about the Bearded Vulture which visited our local area during that year.
- In September 2019 we held a stall alongside South Yorkshire Police and RSPB at Langsett Reservoir to promote Operation Owl, a nationwide police initiative to stop raptor persecution
- Following a meeting to discuss tackling Wildlife Crime in South Yorkshire, we published an open letter in August 2019 to South Yorkshire Police Chief Constable Stephen Watson detailing the main points and agreed actions and outcomes of the meeting. For more information and to read the letter, click here.
- In July 2019 Our Chief Executive Liz Ballard attended a debate in Westminster organised by RSPB on ‘Rethinking Grouse Moor Management’, where they asked conservationists, law makers, enforcers and land owners to pitch their vision for the future of grouse moor management in the face of an ecological and climate emergency. A full audio recording of this debate is available on YouTube – to listen to the debate, click here.
- In April 2019 The Wildlife Trusts jointly signed a letter to Michael Gove, Secretary of State for the Environment asking for an immediate and outright ban on moorland burning across all peatland bog habitats. To read the letter, click here.
What you can do to help
Report wildlife crime
How to report illegal persecution of wildlife
Make a Donation
Support us by making a one off donation to Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trusts
Evidence and References
Raptor persecution
To see more about this issue, including evidence and downloads please visit our birds of prey campaign page.
Stink pits, snares, traps and shooting
The use of snares is currently legal in England. It is worth noting that the Scottish government has brought in the licensing of snares and is currently reviewing their use – see a debate on the issue from 15 June 2017.
The reason gamekeepers control foxes, stoats, weasels etc on the Sheffield moors is because these mammals are seen as a threat to intensively rearing large numbers of young pheasant and grouse chicks – critical to ensuring a good shooting season. Arguments are also made for ‘control of these predators’ because they will take young ground-nesting birds such as curlew and lapwing.