Raptor Persecution Awareness Open-Day
The Devonshire Institute –Town Hall, Grassington Village, Yorkshire Dales
11 August 2018
CONFIRMATION OF SPEAKERS
The Northern England Raptor Forum is hosting this event to help raise public awareness of the levels of illegal persecution faced by raptors in northern England and the threats posed to our wildlife heritage.
Admission is free and open to all.  Why not come along and show your support with the added bonus of being able to enjoy a day in the Yorkshire Dales?
Venue:- Grassington Devonshire Institute, Grassington Village, North Yorks, BD23 5 AZ
Date & time:- Saturday 11th August 2018,    1000 – 1400 hrs
Access:- The  Institute can be found at the top of Main Street in Grassington.  There is a medium sized carpark 50 metres distant with wheelchair access to the building from the Moor Lane entrance. However the recommended main carpark is at the Yorkshire Dales National Park site just off the B6265, Hebden Road in the lower part of the village (5-10 mins walk).
The indoor meeting room will hold display stands with representatives on hand to answer questions and there will be a rolling series of short presentations (10-15 minutes) from expert speakers.  The aim is to raise awareness of how the continued illegal persecution of raptors in the uplands of northern England is significantly suppressing the number of breeding birds and their productivity and impacts on the opportunities for us all to experience these wonderful birds in their natural habitat. Speakers will highlight the current evidence of persecution and draw attention to initiatives in place, or still needed, to combat the problem.
The event is open to all on a ‘drop-by-any-time-and-stay-as-long-as-you-wish’basis.

SPEAKERS
*Steve Downing                 Northern England Raptor Forum, Chairman
*Ian Court                            Wildlife Conservation Officer, Yorkshire Dales NPA
*Sgt Stuart Grainger         North Yorkshire Police (“Operation Owl”)
*James Bray                                    RSPB, Bowland Project Officer
*Ch. Insp Louise Hubble   National Wildlife Crime Unit
*Guy Shorrock                   RSPB, Senior Investigations Officer

 


This is not a day of ‘protest’ needing placards or banners.  It is a day where the focus will be on the presentation of evidence-based data from long-term, detailed studies which will demonstrate the threats faced by birds of prey in the region’s uplands and the actions now required.
About The Northern England Raptor Forum
The Northern England Raptor Forum [NERF] represents volunteer Raptor Study Groups committed to the long-term monitoring of the populations of key raptor species across the region.  Our study areas cover the Pennine Chain from Northumberland to the South Peak district and extend to Cheshire, Manchester, the Forest of Bowland and the North York Moors. Species studied include Hen Harrier, Marsh Harrier, Goshawk, Red Kite, Peregrine, Merlin, Short-eared Owl and Raven in addition to sample populations of commoner species.
Extensive annual monitoring of bird of prey species by NERF members has served to highlight the sad plight of some iconic raptors in the uplands of northern England.  Species such as Hen Harrier, Red Kite, Goshawk, Peregrine, Short-eared Owl and Raven are substantially under-represented in eminently suitable breeding habitat across the region, even within our designated Special Protection Areas [SPAs], National Parks and AONBs.  Whilst there are a number of causes for this it is widely accepted that illegal persecution, especially on land managed for driven grouse shooting, is a significant factor.  North Yorkshire has the unfortunate reputation of topping the RSPB’s Birdcrime tables, followed closely by the Peak District but the problem really extends throughout the region.  The number of confirmed persecution reports undoubtedly only represents the ‘tip of an iceberg’, with the majority of crimes going unreported
The information collected by members provides the most comprehensive data-set available based wholly on the evidence of extensive fieldwork and is published in the NERF Annual Review.  The data on breeding outcomes is used to inform species’ conservation and protection measures through its provision to the BTO, the national Rare Breeding Birds Panel, Natural England and the RSPB.
NERF is a member of the Police / Defra led Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime [PAW] under the Raptor Persecution Priority Delivery Group [RPPDG] and is a past recipient of the prestigious PAW ‘Partner of the Year’ award.  NERF acts as a specialist consultant for the RSPB’s Hen Harrier, (EU) LIFE+ Project.
NERF has also co-authored several published scientific papers relating to birds of prey including the results of the BTO’s 2014 National Peregrine Survey and the RSPB’s 2016 National Hen Harrier Survey.
See our website for more information raptorforum.co.uk
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NERF believes that:-
# People must speak out clearly against raptor persecution
# RPPDG members must demonstrate how their organisation is delivering the aims of the Group or consider their position on the Group
# More police resources are needed to fulfil the investigative and prosecution expectations of the public and the RPPDG [an essential part of Defra’s Hen Harrier Emergency Recovery Plan]
# Defra and Natural England should abandon any plans for Hen Harrier brood management
# Defra and Natural England should instead focus on restoring species’ populations within formally designated Special Protection Areas to at least those originally cited
# Responsible shooting estates should have nothing to fear from the idea of introducing a licensing system for driven grouse shoots, a policy supported by NERF