The Moorland Association sent this letter to the Financial Times this week, in response to a commentary by Guy Shrubsole.
Sir,
Guy Shrubsole forgot to mention that the nation owes a debt of thanks to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert for popularising driven grouse shooting (“What can England learn from Scotland’s community land buyouts?”, House & Home, October 20).
They recognised that wildlife thrives best where land is managed – it would be another 100 years until the conservation industry caught up.
Today, driven grouse shooting is one of the world’s most successful conservation stories.
Our gamekeepers have best protected and maintained some of the rarest habitat on earth – open heather moorland.
Every year millions flock to our heather clad hills and walk as they wish – for free. By contrast, Shrubsole’s vision for England equates to the nation spending a third of Natural England’s budget, every year, on something it already enjoys.
We should accept that Victoria and Albert’s moorland legacy is astonishing.
Andrew Gilruth
Chief Executive