6 Shooting Times & Country Magazine 16 February 2011 Nature reserves to remain state-owned They said what? “It is interesting that Songbird Survival appears to have close links to the shooting community and previous blogs here have highlighted that.” Mark Avery, after Songbird Survival announced its £100,000 conservation project to be run by the GWCT. “I should clarify that I quite like foxes, just not this one.” Ben Fogle, who recently sprained his ankle rugby tackling a fox that attacked his elderly Labrador. Fowlers welcome Government’s U-turn on nature reserves, saving the foreshore from falling into the wrong hands ASC has welcomed a Government statement that National Nature Reserves (NNRs) will remain in public ownership, despite DEFRA officials “scoping a range of options”, reports Will Finch. Wildfowling takes place on a number of NNRs, including iconic sites such as Lindisfarne. Part of the Wash is also an NNR, with local clubs providing voluntary wardens. Mark Greenhough, wildfowling officer at BASC, said: “The current arrangement of wildfowling on NNRs seems to work well, so a continuation of current permit schemes would be a good thing for wildfowlers. “The alternative would be for NNRs to be released from public ownership. If that happened, we don’t know whose hands they would end up in — it could pose problems if the wrong people took them over.” The media accused the Government of a U-turn following the outcry against plans to sell Forestry Commission land. However, despite admitting to talks with Natural England, the quango that looks after many NNRs, DEFRA remained defiant. A spokesman said: “There is no consultation paper on the ownership of the NNRs, and there will not be. We look forward to continuing to work closely with our non-governmental organisations, to tap into their expertise to make sure our NNRs are looked after in the best possible way.” BASC told Shooting Times that it had never had plans to manage NNRs, but that it had held talks with Natural England to discuss options for management in the event of a sell-off. WILDFOWLING Iconic National Nature Reserves such as Lindisfarne are popular spots for wildfowlers and will remain in public ownership B The body of 53-year-old wildfowler Paul Larkin was recovered near Haverigg, in Cumbria, last week, three days after he went missing while wildfowling on the Duddon estuary. The alarm had been raised after Mr Larkin (pictured, above), a member of Furness Wildfowlers Association for more than 25 years, had failed to meet his son and another man at a prearranged location. BASC’s Steve Woodhall said: “Mr Larkin was an experienced local wildfowler. Our condolences go out to his family and all those who knew him.” BASC’s director of operations, Simon Hamlyn (pictured, above), has been dismissed by the association after an investigation into his professional conduct. BASC spokesman Simon Clarke told Shooting Times: “Simon Hamlyn has made a valuable contribution to BASC over the past 10 years, but, following a detailed investigation into his conduct, his employment with BASC has ended.” Fowler dies on foreshore BASC director is dismissed DISMISSAL WILDFOWLING P. QUAGLIANA / PA PHOTOS / E. JANES / L. CAMPBELL / ALAMY THIS WEEK’S NEWS REVP006_SHT_FEB16.indd 6 11/02/2011 17:25

Nature reserves to remain state-owned, 16 Feb 2011

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THIS WEEK’S NEWSThey said what?“It is interesting that Songbird Survival appears to have close links to the shooting community and previous blogs here have highlighted that.” Mark Avery, after Songbird Survival announced its £100,000 conservation project to be run by the GWCT.“I should clarify that I quite like foxes, just not this one.” Ben Fogle, who recently sprained his ankle rugby tackling a fox that attacked his elderly Labrador.Fowler dies on foreshoreWILDFOWLINGThe body of 53

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6 Shooting Times & Country Magazine 16 February 2011

Nature reserves to remain state-owned

They said what?

“It is interesting that Songbird Survival appears to have close links to the shooting community and previous blogs here have highlighted that.” Mark Avery, after Songbird Survival announced its £100,000 conservation project to be run by the GWCT.

“I should clarify that I quite like foxes, just not this one.” Ben Fogle, who recently sprained his ankle rugby tackling a fox that attacked his elderly Labrador.

Fowlers welcome Government’s U-turn on nature reserves, saving the foreshore from falling into the wrong hands

ASC has welcomed a Government statement that National Nature Reserves (NNRs) will remain in public

ownership, despite DEFRA officials “scoping a range of options”, reports Will Finch.

Wildfowling takes place on a number of NNRs, including iconic sites such as Lindisfarne. Part of the Wash is also an NNR, with local clubs providing voluntary wardens.

Mark Greenhough, wildfowling officer at BASC, said: “The current arrangement of

wildfowling on NNRs seems to work well, so a continuation of current permit schemes would be a good thing for wildfowlers.

“The alternative would be for NNRs to be released from public ownership. If that happened, we don’t know whose hands they would end up in — it could pose problems if the wrong people took them over.”

The media accused the Government of a U-turn following the outcry against plans to sell Forestry Commission land. However, despite admitting to talks with Natural England, the quango that looks after many

NNRs, DEFRA remained defiant. A spokesman said: “There

is no consultation paper on the ownership of the NNRs, and there will not be. We look forward to continuing to work closely with our non-governmental organisations, to tap into their expertise to make sure our NNRs are looked after in the best possible way.”

BASC told Shooting Times that it had never had plans to manage NNRs, but that it had held talks with Natural England to discuss options for management in the event of a sell-off.

WILDFOWLING

Iconic National Nature Reserves such as Lindisfarne are popular spots for wildfowlers and will remain in public ownership

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The body of 53-year-old wildfowler Paul Larkin was recovered near Haverigg, in Cumbria, last week, three days after he went missing while wildfowling on the Duddon estuary. The alarm had been raised after Mr Larkin (pictured, above), a member of Furness Wildfowlers Association for more than 25 years, had failed to meet his son and another man at a prearranged location. BASC’s Steve Woodhall said: “Mr Larkin was an experienced local wildfowler. Our condolences go out to his family and all those who knew him.”

BASC’s director of operations, Simon Hamlyn (pictured, above), has been dismissed by the association after an investigation into his professional conduct. BASC spokesman Simon Clarke told Shooting Times: “Simon Hamlyn has made a valuable contribution to BASC over the past 10 years, but, following a detailed investigation into his conduct, his employment with BASC has ended.”

Fowler dies on foreshore

BASC director is dismissed

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