Written evidence from Egton Estate (GRO0325)

The Egton Estate is a privately owned Country Estate, located approximately 5 miles inland from Whitby, North Yorkshire.  The Estate is owned by the Foster family and has been a key local employer since the family purchased the Estate in 1869. The Estate is now owned by Oliver and Laura Foster, who took over the Estate from Oliver’s father in 2014.

The Estate is located in the North York Moors National Park and consists of approximately 4995 acres Heather Moorland (all of which is designated as SSSI)  500 acres of commercial woodland, 500 acres of pasture and arable, 4 miles of salmon and sea trout fishing on the Yorkshire Esk and 12 cottages.  Egton Manor, is the Foster family home. 

Grouse shooting is absolutely key to the sustainability of this Estate, primarily as a sporting estate.

The Estate employs 6 full time people and uses local contractors and part time staff for a number of events including approximately 40 combined pheasant and grouse shoot days a year. 

The grouse moor relies heavily on its 2 full time gamekeepers and the 30 additional people it needs for its 10 to 12 shooting days each year.  The grouse moor relies on local contractors for fencing, ditching, maintenance, controlled burning, heather cutting (where the ground allows), bracken spraying, footpath maintenance, track work etc. A lot of this is for public benefit who live within the park and those that visit it, particularly for its heather bloom in July and August.

As an owner, I believe careful grouse moor management, through its grouse shooting income, overwhelming environmental and ecological benefits.

The committee has invited evidence on the following:

a)      Should the law on grouse shooting be changed?  If so, how?

I believe the answer is no and that the legislation surrounding the management of moors for grouse shooting is, if anything, already over regulated. There is no evidence I am aware of to justify any change to the existing laws and regulations. If there is evidence available, then I would like to listen to that.

b)     What affect does grouse shooting have on the wildlife and the environment?

I think the overwhelming support of grouse shooting is as follows -

Effect on Wildlife

The reduction of ground based predators is an important part of grouse moor keepering and management.  This involves the control of stoats, weasels, foxes and crows all of which predate on birds, their eggs and chicks.  This, in our case, includes a special consent to manage herring gulls who along with other predators, are regularly seen attacking broods of curlew, golden plover, red grouse and lapwing. The control of these predators is a huge benefit therefore to ALL ground nesting birds including snipe, lapwing, golden plover, curlew, sky lark, merlin, grey partridge, short-eared owl and hen harrier.

I am proud that we now have 3 broods of merlin on Egton High Moor when in previous years, we have had one if we are lucky. We work closely with the BTO each year to monitor these broods, tag them and protect them.

Research shows that biodiversity is higher/richer on keepered moorland when compared with un-keepered moors. This research shows that breeding success is significantly compromised by the high level of predation by stoats, weasels, foxes and crows. 

The positive effect that grouse shooting brings to the wildlife biodiversity of Egton High Moor is immense and hugely beneficial to bird numbers and their breeding success.

Effect on Environment

• The control of bracken which has no forage value for sheep.  Bracken also harbours ticks which are a danger to the general public. Once bracken is controlled the vegetation is naturally replaced by dwarf shrubs, blaeberry, heather and various grasses which provide a valuable habitat for a wide range of wildlife as well as important forage for sheep. The eradication of bracken facilitates light and allows heather to grow.  This heather habitat is important feeding, shelter and nesting habitat not only for red grouse but also, other ground nesting birds including golden plover, merlin, redshank, ring ouzels, curlew, lapwing and red grouse.

• Careful rotational burning on dry heath creates a mosaic of multi aged heather at different growth stages which is beneficial to a wide range of species and reduces the risk of significant damage to peat in the event of a wildfire.  The fact that the heather is broken up and not one large combustible mass, enables wildfires to be controlled. Our careful process of conservation burning protects the peat in order to facilitate the growth of young heather, a key dietary requirement for all ground nesting birds.  Without this burning, young heather would not regenerate and would lead to a reduction in biodiversity. Heather of all ages, supports a greater biodiversity. The longer heather is left for important nesting and sheltering habitat for all ground nesting birds. Conservation burning, within best practice guidelines, is a key activity for the prevention of wildfires.  Burning is heavily regulated and my team conduct this responsibly and to best practice. On deep peat very selective burning is carried out to assist with peat restoration and protection.

• Drainage – In the 1960’s, large areas of Egton High Moor were drained (gripped) encouraged by the Government through grant aid to improve hill and moorland grazing.  Unfortunately, the result was not a success and over time caused extensive erosion and loss of peat.  This was belatedly recognised by the Government who recently reversed the loss of peat which involved the blocking of grips.  Over the past 5 years, Egton Estate has worked with Natural England to block grips and we are beginning to see greater biodiversity on Egton High Moor in terms of its flora, fauna and particularly, mosses, important for its designation as a SSSI.

• Grouse shooting, directly, was why Egton High Moor was designated an SSSI, SPA and SAC.

• Grouse shooting, through the employment of keepers, maintains heather of different ages to support a healthy sheep flock of 1000 Ewes by the supply of highly nutritious young heather shoots. Without careful burning, this flock would not be sustainable.

c)      What role does grouse shooting play in rural life, especially the rural economy?

Grouse Shooting on the Egton Estate supports 2 full time game keepers. On approximately 10 to 12 shoot days each year, 30 additional employees are taken for each days shooting.  In my case, grouse shooting is depended on the wider estate businesses and without it, I do not think we would have a business at all.

Grouse shooting in the North York Moors has a key role to play in cementing the various remote moorland communities together by reciprocal sharing of beating teams, keepers, equipment and picking up staff. Grouse shooting support local contractors, dealerships, pubs, restaurants, private houses and hotels.

Egton Estate relies heavily on grouse shooting, because those that visit us for grouse shooting, also enjoy salmon and sea trout fishing and pheasant shooting, all of which combine to so support our core businesses. This is what differentiates us from others. The core business of Egton Estate is sporting and without grouse shooting, we, as a business, would not be sustainable.

Grouse shooting enables us to bring in additional people for the carrying out of heather burning, bracken control, wall building, fencing, road and track maintenance. I believe this is for public benefit, specifically those who visit the North York Moors National Park.

Without grouse shooting, simplistically, we couldn’t do what we do for our own business. Grouse shooting facilitates employment, cross selling and has key, undisputed employment as well as rich ecological and environmental benefits attached to it.

Summary

Grouse shooting maintains these wonderful moorland areas in excellent condition for wildlife to thrive. Predominately through private investment for the benefit of the public, it provides a key contribution to the local economy, significant full time and seasonal employment for the local communities in this remote area of the North York Moors National Park.

I am passionate about moorland, the very special nature of the landscape and, as a privileged custodian, I am proud of the ecological and environmental project we deliver. As matter of principle I believe we put more back to the moorland than we take from it and this landscape should be allowed to be managed carefully in this way for the benefit of us all and for future generations to come. Grouse shooting does, and should continue to have its place in today’s modern society precisely for this reason. 

October 2016