Grouse shooting brings 'huge' economic benefit

The survey also showed the industry now employs 350 gamekeepers – up by 25 per cent since 2000 - and creates 42,500 days of work a year for contractors and local people on shoot days.

In return for the substantial spend, on average, each moor will run eight days of shooting between August 12 and December 10. However, in any one year, 40 per cent of moors do not receive any revenue from shooting either because shooting days are not let on a commercial basis, (25 per cent of moors), or the wild red grouse have not bred sufficiently well do produce a surplus for shooting to take place. 

The survey results showed a three-fold increase in financial commitment to biodiversity and the environment compared to the previous decade with £30 million privately invested. As well as bringing back heather to moorland - 89sq miles in the last decade - some 1,250 miles of moorland drainage ditches have been plugged to lock up carbon in the peaty soil, with a further 823 miles planned.

Other actions over the last 10 years include: heather seed sown over 26 square miles; 257 miles of traditional dry stone walls and fencing improved or built to help manage grazing; 65sq miles of invasive bracken treated to stop it swamping and killing other moorland plants; 4,485 mini moorland ponds created and more than 1.1 million native trees planted.

Richard Benyon, Natural Environment Minister, said: “These results show the passion that Moorland Association members have in managing the grouse moors, even in this difficult financial climate.”

Edward Bromet, chairman of The Moorland Association said despite the recession, association members had not curbed their spending on conservation and grouse moor management.

However, there were still 390 square miles of moorland in England and Wales where heather had been lost and the association was calling for new conservation targets to be set. 

The grouse shooting season starts on August 12.

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