Ways to develop shooting’s contribution to conservation and the environment in Wales have been discussed at a meeting between Natural Resources Wales, the new environment body for Wales, and BASC.
Conservation work carried out through a programme run by BASC was highlighted to Natural Resources Wales’ chief executive Emyr Roberts and team leader for biodiversity Huw Jones when they visited BASC’s head office in North Wales.
BASC’s Green Shoots programme links up land which is managed for shooting and people who shoot with other conservation efforts and organisations.
The visitors from Natural Resources Wales discussed the work of Green Shoots and were taken to a local shoot to see the programme in action. Green Shoots projects in Wales include an initiative to boost the population of red squirrels on Anglesey by controlling grey squirrels. Anglesey now has the largest and most genetically diverse red squirrel population in Wales with more than 500 animals recorded over a 720km2 landscape.
Richard Ali, BASC chief executive, said: “We were delighted to welcome Emyr and Huw to Marford Mill to explore how to build on the success of Green Shoots in North Wales and how to link shooting’s conservation efforts into other initiatives. Research has shown shooting contributes at least £250 million a year to conservation work.”
Emyr Roberts said: “Natural Resources Wales shares common ground with BASC and recognises the importance of the relationship between shooting and conservation. We were pleased to visit the British Association for Shooting and Conservation to find out more about its Green Shoots programme. Both organisations are committed to natural resource management and we work together to improve the rich biodiversity and natural heritage of Wales.”