Wild Justice 33 - our e-action with RSPB and Hen Harrier Action

 

Phew! Hot isn't it?!   We hope that you were able to dip into parts of Hen Harrier Day online on Saturday which got over 130,000 views.   On that day we launched, jointly with the RSPB and Hen Harrier Action, an e-action asking elected politicians from across the UK to take action on grouse moors - for Hen Harriers and other wildlife and for people.  It's a simple and polite message which is copied below:   I urge you to take action to end illegal killing of hen harriers and other birds of prey, which disproportionately takes place on the UK’s driven grouse moors. Hen harrier populations have declined by 27% since 2004, with regional declines in areas dominated by intensive grouse moor management being even steeper. Furthermore, the Joint Nature Conservation Committee’s report in 2011 on hen harrier conservation recognised that the size of the hen harrier population in the UK is vastly below its potential size (most starkly in England) and that the overwhelming reason was illegal persecution. This is clearly an intolerable state of affairs – there is therefore an urgent need for reform to clamp down on wildlife crime associated with the driven grouse shooting industry to restore healthy hen harrier populations across the whole of the UK.   I am also concerned by the intensive management practices associated with driven grouse shooting such as vegetation burning to encourage heather growth. Repeated burning has left some protected sites in unfavourable condition and can be associated with damaging effects such as drinking water contamination and increased flood risk.    In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a substantial movement to ‘build back greener’ – to recognise the importance of nature and our place in it. With regards to persecution of our birds of prey, things appear to be moving in the opposite direction - there has been a surge in reported illegal persecution under lockdown.    I urge you to seize this moment and contact the relevant environment minister today, to call for action on driven grouse shooting in a way that will deliver enormous benefits to our birds, our landscapes and our people and positive steps towards tackling the climate and biodiversity crisis.     We're sure that many readers of this newsletter have already taken this action but, in case you haven't, and if you'd like to, then this is the link to click on - https://wildjustice.eaction.org.uk/saveourskydancers   All you have to do is fill in your postcode and a few more details about yourself so the politicians don't get messages from non-constituents.  And you'll be asked whether you want to be signed up to this newsletter - tick either box and you won't get two emails but you won't be taken off the mailing list either. If you do want to leave this mailing list  (and we hope you don't) then there is, as always, an 'unsubscribe' option at the foot of this email.   If you feel able to participate then it will take less than 90 seconds of your time and you will be joining over 26,000 others in sending a strong, polite message to politicians to act.   And please send that message as soon as possible. Tomorrow is the Inglorious 12th - the start of the grouse shooting season. There is no better time to send this message.   Here is the link again - https://wildjustice.eaction.org.uk/saveourskydancers   Thank you!     Wild Justice (Directors: Mark Avery, Chris Packham and Ruth Tingay).     Wild Justice donations page - click here https://wildjustice.org.uk/wildlife-donations/ Wild Justice blog - click here https://wildjustice.org.uk/blog/ Wild Justice Twitter @WildJustice_org   This email was sent to you because you subscribed to it through the Wild Justice website.  Thank you. We will only use your personal details to send you the Wild Justice newsletter. We will not give or sell your details to anyone else.  You can unsubscribe at any time: there is an unsubscribe button at the foot of this email or you can reply to this email and ask us to remove you from the list (the former will happen immediately, the latter might take a few days).