Partridge Conference Inspires Action to Halt Decline

An inspiring conference organised by the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust(formerly The Game Conservancy Trust), which attracted nearly 300 delegatesfrom across the country, showed how the dramatic decline of grey partridges,once one of Britain's most common birds, can be halted.

Partridges have suffered an 86% decline in the last 30 years because ofhabitat loss, a reduction in insect food and an increase in the number ofgeneralist predators such as foxes, crows and stoats.

However, delegates to the conference heard that the bird has made the mostastonishing comeback on the Trust's Grey Partridge Recovery Project onfarmland at Royston, where their numbers have soared from 20 pairs to 184pairs in just four years.

Dr Nick Sotherton, director of research with the Game & WildlifeConservation Trust said, "Delegates to the conference have seen the art ofthe possible. Over the past 30 years the Trust has carried out the scienceto show why partridges are disappearing, and has come up with solutions toreverse this decline. We have also shown that these techniques work on ourpartridge recovery project site at Royston. It is now over to all UKlandowners, farmers and gamekeepers to apply these recommendations on theirown land. It is not difficult, and with a united effort we can easily doublethe partridge population in the UK over the next few years and thus savethis iconic species on the brink."

At the conference, Dr Stephen Tapper, the Trust's director of policy andpublic affairs, explained the history of partridge decline and said, "Thekey message is that everyone with an interest in partridges needs to getinvolved. We have set up grey partridge groups across the country, andpeople can join a local group. We also need people out there countingpartridges, so contact us to join our count scheme and finally, come to usfor advice on managing your land for partridges. Applying just a fewmeasures can make a huge difference."

In 1995, the grey partridge faced extinction in much of Britain and so theGovernment gave the species priority under the UK's Biodiversity Action Plan(BAP) process, appointing the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust as leadpartner to ensure success. The aim of the plan is to bring the populationabove 90,000 pairs by 2010 and to increase its current range by 5%.

To ensure the success of the grey partridge recovery process, the Trust as aleading research charity, is dependent on the financial support provided bya number of important business partners, such as Bidwells, who were theprincipal sponsor of the recent conference, as well as Kings and OvalInsurance.

Ian Monks, Chairman Land & Business with Bidwells, said, "This conference isa clear endorsement of the great work undertaken by the Trust. Conservationdoes not happen by accident and detailed research is essential if we are toincrease the wild gamebird population.

"What is required is profitable agriculture to fund real conservation. Ifarable farming is about to produce a period of increased profit and a higherstatus within both the public and political arena then farmers andlandowners are beholden to behave responsibly and to communicate theirmessage better than ever before. The Trust had an important role to play inthis task and we are pleased to support, not just the grey partridgerecovery programme but, all aspects of their work."

For more information on grey partridge recovery, please contact NevilleKingdon on 01425 651066 or visit the Trust's website: www.gct.org.uk