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At this time of year, you will often see smoke billowing high up on the moors around the Yorkshire Dales. For some this might cause alarm but rest assured these fires are created by the local gamekeepers who play an essential role in the conservation of the dale’s countryside. The Gamekeepers job is to manage the land to ensure that the wildlife thrives in their habitat. This includes managing both upland and low land (moorland and farmland) and areas of woodland and waterways (streams, rivers and ponds). Another aspect is conserving the wildlife for country sports to ensure there are enough healthy game for shooting and enough fish for angling. The Yorkshire Dales is renowned for its breath-taking scenery and stunning moorland. It is also recognised as one of the UK’s most exciting areas for grouse, pheasant and partridge shooting. However, this hasn’t occurred without a lot of hard work from the Gamekeepers who work relentlessly, no matter the weather, to maintain the heather moorland in which the game inhabits. By maintaining the moorland through regulated burning of the heather to produce new heather shoots not only gives the shooting game the habitat they require to flourish but, also results in a positive outcome for “at risk” species such as the dormouse, spotted flycatcher and a variety of butterfly species. The old heather which is left gives cover for ground nesting birds such as the grouse and the redshank. It is the Gamekeepers job to help protect these birds and other animals from pests such as rats and predators such as foxes, weasels and stoats through pest control. The Moorland association have made the following videos to help educate people on the job of the Game keepers. The Keeper – Grouse Shooting Part 1 The Keeper – Grouse shooting part 2
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