Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust
Encyclopedia
The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (formerly the Game Conservancy Trust) is a British
charitable organisation, principally associated with the shooting industry, promoting game and wildlife management as an essential part of nature conservation. For over 75 years the Trust has been conducting scientific research to understand why there have been declines in species such as the grey partridge
, black grouse
, water vole, corn bunting
and brown hare
.
The Trust advises conservationists, farmers and land managers on ways to improve wildlife habitat and enhance the countryside for public benefit. It also lobbies government for agricultural and conservation policies based on science.
Notable conservation projects of the Trust are those conserving grey partridge
s, black grouse
and regarding control of mink
where they are predating water voles.
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A severe outbreak of the disease Strongylosis in grey partridges in 1931 led Major HG Eley (a shotgun cartridge manufacturer) to establish the ICI Game Research Station at Knebworth in Hertfordshire
. The organisation monitored partridge numbers and investigated their biology.
After the war, Major Eley established a new base at Burgate Manor in Fordingbridge
, Hampshire
, establishing what was later known as the Eley Game Advisory Service. They leased a local 4000 acres (16.2 km²) estate and for 14 years ran it as a demonstration and experimental game shoot.
Much of the association's early work was on organo chlorine pesticides and this work helped to bring in a ban on the use of dieldrin
, aldrin
and heptachlor
seed dressings in 1962. In April 1980, the organisation was registered as a research and education charity under the name The Game Conservancy Trust.
The Trust are one of the pioneers in research into conservation headland
s and beetle bank
s.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
charitable organisation, principally associated with the shooting industry, promoting game and wildlife management as an essential part of nature conservation. For over 75 years the Trust has been conducting scientific research to understand why there have been declines in species such as the grey partridge
Grey Partridge
The Grey Partridge, Perdix perdix, also known as the English Partridge, Hungarian Partridge, or Hun, is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds...
, black grouse
Black Grouse
The Black Grouse or Blackgame is a large bird in the grouse family. It is a sedentary species, breeding across northern Eurasia in moorland and bog areas near to woodland, mostly boreal...
, water vole, corn bunting
Corn Bunting
The Corn Bunting, Miliaria calandra, is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae, a group now separated by most modern authors from the finches, Fringillidae...
and brown hare
European Hare
The European hare , also known as the brown hare, Eastern Jackrabbit and Eastern prairie hare, is a species of hare native to northern, central, and western Europe and western Asia. It is a mammal adapted to temperate open country. It is related to the similarly appearing rabbit, which is in the...
.
The Trust advises conservationists, farmers and land managers on ways to improve wildlife habitat and enhance the countryside for public benefit. It also lobbies government for agricultural and conservation policies based on science.
Notable conservation projects of the Trust are those conserving grey partridge
Grey Partridge
The Grey Partridge, Perdix perdix, also known as the English Partridge, Hungarian Partridge, or Hun, is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds...
s, black grouse
Black Grouse
The Black Grouse or Blackgame is a large bird in the grouse family. It is a sedentary species, breeding across northern Eurasia in moorland and bog areas near to woodland, mostly boreal...
and regarding control of mink
American Mink
The American mink is a semi-aquatic species of Mustelid native to North America, though human intervention has expanded its range to many parts of Europe and South America. Because of this, it is classed as Least Concern by the IUCN. Since the extinction of the sea mink, the American mink is the...
where they are predating water voles.
History
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
. The organisation monitored partridge numbers and investigated their biology.
After the war, Major Eley established a new base at Burgate Manor in Fordingbridge
Fordingbridge
Fordingbridge is a town and civil parish with a population of 5,700 on the River Avon in the New Forest District of Hampshire, England, near to the Dorset and Wiltshire borders and on the edge of the New Forest. It is south west of London, and south of the city of Salisbury. Fordingbridge is a...
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, establishing what was later known as the Eley Game Advisory Service. They leased a local 4000 acres (16.2 km²) estate and for 14 years ran it as a demonstration and experimental game shoot.
Much of the association's early work was on organo chlorine pesticides and this work helped to bring in a ban on the use of dieldrin
Dieldrin
Dieldrin is a chlorinated hydrocarbon originally produced in 1948 by J. Hyman & Co, Denver, as an insecticide. Dieldrin is closely related to aldrin, which reacts further to form dieldrin. Aldrin is not toxic to insects; it is oxidized in the insect to form dieldrin which is the active compound...
, aldrin
Aldrin
Aldrin is an organochlorine insecticide that was widely used until the 1970s, when it was banned in most countries. It is a colourless solid. Before the ban, it was heavily used as a pesticide to treat seed and soil...
and heptachlor
Heptachlor
Heptachlor is an organochlorine compound that was used as an insecticide. Usually sold as a white or tan powder, heptachlor is one of the cyclodiene insecticides. In 1962, Rachel Carson's Silent Spring questioned the safety of heptachlor and other chlorinated insecticides. Due to its highly...
seed dressings in 1962. In April 1980, the organisation was registered as a research and education charity under the name The Game Conservancy Trust.
Name change
On 1 October 2007, after 27 years as the Game Conservancy Trust, the organisation was renamed to the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, to reflect the fact that they work to conserve a wider range of wildlife other than game animals.Conservation
The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust work on the following species and habitats:- Grey PartridgeGrey PartridgeThe Grey Partridge, Perdix perdix, also known as the English Partridge, Hungarian Partridge, or Hun, is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds...
- Red-legged partridgeRed-legged PartridgeThe Red-legged Partridge is a gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae of the order Galliformes, gallinaceous birds. It is sometimes known as French Partridge, to distinguish it from the Grey or English Partridge....
- PheasantPheasantPheasants refer to some members of the Phasianinae subfamily of Phasianidae in the order Galliformes.Pheasants are characterised by strong sexual dimorphism, males being highly ornate with bright colours and adornments such as wattles and long tails. Males are usually larger than females and have...
- Black GrouseBlack GrouseThe Black Grouse or Blackgame is a large bird in the grouse family. It is a sedentary species, breeding across northern Eurasia in moorland and bog areas near to woodland, mostly boreal...
- Red grouseRed grouseThe Red Grouse is a medium sized bird of the grouse family which is found in heather moorland in Great Britain and Ireland. It is usually classified as a subspecies of the Willow Grouse but is sometimes considered to be a separate species Lagopus scoticus...
- CapercaillieCapercaillieThe Western Capercaillie , also known as the Wood Grouse, Heather Cock or Capercaillie , is the largest member of the grouse family, reaching over 100 cm in length and 6.7 kg in weight. The largest one ever recorded in captivity had a weight of 7.2 kg....
- Ptarmigan
- Eurasian WoodcockEurasian WoodcockThe Eurasian Woodcock, Scolopax rusticola, is a medium-small wading bird found in temperate and subarctic Eurasia. It has cryptic camouflage to suit its woodland habitat, with reddish-brown upperparts and buff-coloured underparts...
- Brown HareEuropean HareThe European hare , also known as the brown hare, Eastern Jackrabbit and Eastern prairie hare, is a species of hare native to northern, central, and western Europe and western Asia. It is a mammal adapted to temperate open country. It is related to the similarly appearing rabbit, which is in the...
- Atlantic salmonAtlantic salmonThe Atlantic salmon is a species of fish in the family Salmonidae, which is found in the northern Atlantic Ocean and in rivers that flow into the north Atlantic and the north Pacific....
- Brown troutBrown troutThe brown trout and the sea trout are fish of the same species....
- Farmland birds such as YellowhammerYellowhammerThe Yellowhammer, Emberiza citrinella, is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae. It is common in all sorts of open areas with some scrub or trees and form small flocks in winter....
, Song thrushSong ThrushThe Song Thrush is a thrush that breeds across much of Eurasia. It is also known in English dialects as throstle or mavis. It has brown upperparts and black-spotted cream or buff underparts and has three recognised subspecies...
and Corn buntingCorn BuntingThe Corn Bunting, Miliaria calandra, is a passerine bird in the bunting family Emberizidae, a group now separated by most modern authors from the finches, Fringillidae... - Chalk Streams
- Farmland
- Field margins
- Heather moorlandMoorlandMoorland or moor is a type of habitat, in the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome, found in upland areas, characterised by low-growing vegetation on acidic soils and heavy fog...
The Trust are one of the pioneers in research into conservation headland
Conservation headland
A Conservation Headland is a strip along the edge of an agricultural field, where pesticides is sprayed only in a selective manner. This increases the number and type of weed and insect species present, and benefits the bird species that depend on them...
s and beetle bank
Beetle bank
A Beetle bank, In agriculture and horticulture, is a form of biological pest control. It is a strip planted with grasses and-or perennial plants, within a crop field or a garden, that fosters and provides habitat for beneficial insects, birds, and other fauna that prey on...
s.
Research
The Trust have published many reports on countryside and game management, on topics such as numbers of gamebirds, disease in gamebirds, predator control and farming practices. It also publishes many peer-reviewed papers in scientific journals.See also
- Hunting in the United Kingdom
- Game (food)Game (food)Game is any animal hunted for food or not normally domesticated. Game animals are also hunted for sport.The type and range of animals hunted for food varies in different parts of the world. This will be influenced by climate, animal diversity, local taste and locally accepted view about what can or...
- British Association for Shooting and ConservationBritish Association for Shooting and ConservationThe British Association for Shooting and Conservation is a non-profit making Industrial and Provident Society, whose mission is to promote and protect sporting shooting and the well-being of the countryside throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. With around 130,000 members and 105 staff BASC...