Countryside Alliance Newsletter - National Parks Survey

[tjm160]

A worthwhile cause surely worth a couple of minutes to respond in support of shooting in the national parks:

[FONT=arial, helvetica neue, helvetica, sans-serif]National Parks and shooting - have your say[/FONT]

Many of our members and supporters live, work and farm in National Parks, and are rightly proud to be their custodians. The National Parks were designated precisely because they are special landscapes created by generations of farmers. The Campaign for National Parks (CNP) played a leading role in their creation and continues to campaign on issues relating to National Parks, supported by a wide range of statutory and non-governmental organisations.

It is more than a little surprising therefore that CNP is marking its 80th anniversary with a survey to establish what the public feels about National Parks, which asks whether shooting, an activity central to the life and livelihoods of many who live in them, should be banned. CNP does not, however, include shooting in the list of activities that people might enjoy in national parks.

To put this extraordinary approach into context Exmoor National Park, which is represented on the CNP council, has produced its own study into the role of game shooting which showed that shooting generated £18 million for the local economy annually, generating much-needed income for farmers, hotels, pubs and guest houses at a time of year that is otherwise difficult for these rural communities. Shooting interests also invested £1.2million and 4,700 labour days into conservation on Exmoor every year.

As the Chairman of Exmoor National Park wrote in the foreword to that report: “Not only is [shooting] a significant contributor to the economy of the area, but the shoots also invest considerable resources in managing the environment and providing opportunities for people to enjoy the area. We look forward to using this information to continue to work with the shoots on Exmoor to bring benefits to the National Park, its environment and communities.”

To highlight shooting as something to ban in National Parks, rather than something to celebrate, therefore betrays the people and wildlife that it supports.

We fully back the stated aims of the CNP in protecting and promoting National Parks, but alienating a significant proportion of those who live and work in them is not the way to go about it.

Those of you who understand and appreciate the value of shooting can respond to this survey and redress the balance by entering “Shooting” into the “Other” box as something they enjoy in National Parks. The survey can be found here.

Tim Bonner
Chief Executive
Follow on Twitter @CA_TimB

 

[enfieldspares]

I've said that "traditional activities of "tenants" such as farming and shooting shouldbe permitted to continue" and in the multi box what should be stopped I've put "canoeing" in the Other box and then, later, under Any Comments asked why there is no box to tick if you want canoeing stopped.

 

[Gunner]

I have just completed the survey. At the end thei.re is a picture of a 'cute' dog under the heading [h=2]Feeling Charitable? Help Protect Animals[/h]
I rather suspect that there is some form of anti involvement in this whole survey...

 

[Pedro]

Done. It's not hard to see that it's biased. With any luck, they will not get the message they were hoping for. But will that stop them? Hell, no.

 

[JohnT]

Done.

 

[Goingback]

I questioned why shooting was not on the activities pursued and just on the activities to stop. Hunting,Shooting and fishing contribute a massive income for the National Park inhabitants and community - how dare they ignore that!

Please respond - only takes a few minutes

 

[woodmaster]

Just done it. Very bias in many ways. Hopefully enough response from the fieldsports community will sway the result. But there's go to be millions of walkers and tourists that will see shooting as a negative and tick the box.

 

[deeangeo]

Done

 

[SimpleSimon]

Done the survey. In the box at the end I put:
"I find some of the questions posed in the survey rather concerning. For example, the answer suggesting less farming should be "permitted" in national parks, the idea of making national parks "wilder" and the several proposed bans/restrictions (for example Heather burning, which is undoubtedly beneficial to moorland management, and shooting which is an enormous economic benefit alongside its contribution to habitat management and conservation).
I feel there is a growing misconception in the wider public opinion that the countryside is simply a venue for leisure activities. Whilst I agree with promoting healthy enjoyment of the outdoors, this must not be at the expense of agribusiness and land management interests."

It worries me that the majority of people who think they love the countryside (whilst actually knowing nothing about it) will probably see banned shooting, reduced farming, etc as great ideas. Unfortunately you don't have the have an understanding of a subject to have an opinion on it, and the results of the survey will undoubtedly be used to push an agenda if "58% of people said they want heather burning banned" or whatever. Never mind that the 58% haven't a clue how or why it goes on.

 

[Blackpowder]

Done , and listed shooting as one of the things I do.

Blackpowder

 

[Goingback]

It is very anti working national park and more come and visit.
Most of us would don't shoot in national parks but they are at the forefront of public bodies running of the countryside. If shooting, farming and rural activities are curtailed the Disenyficated urbanites have won and taken a huge park of Britain out of play

 

[Bandit Country]

Done. TBF this outfit is a charity with very specific objectives:

Charitable Objectives
To promote the protection, conservation and enhancement of National Parks for public benefit

To promote the quiet enjoyment of National Parks and the appreciation of their natural beauty by the public in an informed and understanding manner
To advance public education in and understanding of National Parks through the provision of educational material and by other means

To promote and undertake research into issues affecting the conservation and enjoyment of National Parks and to make public the useful results of any such research.


They're nothing to do with boosting local employment and I guess promoting 'quiet' enjoyment rather rules out promoting shooting as a recreational activity?

 

[kes]

Done.
Mentioned a living working national park and shooting and the local economy. Fundamental to respect the history and practices, control of vermin and so forth - takes about 10 minutes to reply thoughtfully.

 

[DamDama]

What should be remembered is that the majority of the land in our National Parks is in private ownership, unlike in other countries were they are owned by the state, so the CNP can hold as many surveys as it likes, it really carries no weight. They are a lobby group, simple as that!
DD

 

[Tom270]

Done , expressed my pro work and shooting stance Tom

 

[vizslamad]

Done and banned anything that does not sit with shooting activities.

 

[andychas]

done, shooting mentioned and promoted in all boxes!

 

[motomo]

done

 

[kes]

David BASC has posted this on Pigeon watch perhaps he should have posted it here too and other organisations attempted to drum up support consistently and effectively?
No not BASC bashing just lamenting a lack of consistency and focus of all out shooting organisations.

 

[nicowilson]

Done.