Numerous studies conducted by the GWCT have highlighted the important benefits that shooting and associated land management can have on wider biodiversity. However, there are growing concerns that high numbers of released gamebirds, such as pheasant, red-legged partridge or mallard, may be damaging to local flora and fauna. According to the GWCT’s Guidelines for Sustainable Gamebird Releasing, releasing is considered sustainable if it delivers the benefits of associated land management whilst avoiding the potentially negative impacts of overstocking.
Shoots across the UK now face increasing pressure to demonstrate sustainability and measurable biodiversity gains arising from their management. GWCT Advisory Services Scotland offer Gamebird Release Assessments as a way to meet these demands. The service includes:
- A comprehensive on-site assessment by one of our expert advisors of all the release pens and their welfare provisions as well as adjoining habitats.
- A report detailing all findings, with a scoring system that indicates the degree of sustainability currently achieved.
Gamebird Release Assessments are intended to be repeated on an annual basis in order to document how recommendations are implemented over time. If combined with GWCT Predator Control Assessments, they form part of a vital paper trail that demonstrates uncompromising commitment to due diligence and best practice.
With over 50 years of providing advice on lowland game management to thousands of shoots in the UK and abroad, we are uniquely positioned to provide a package of up-to-date, targeted advice.