RURAL campaigners are urging the future of grouse shooting on Thornton Moor to be taken based on the available scientific research and evidence.

The move from the Countryside Alliance comes after the Telegraph & Argus reported earlier this month that a decision was expected to be made shortly around whether an existing shooting lease on moorland owned by Yorkshire Water would be renewed.

The Bradford-based firm has been working on a complex assessment tool and it is expected to trial it later this year when the Thornton Moor land management lease expires.

The review will consider whether to continue allowing the shooting of grouse and partridge for sport on the moorland near Denholme.

Countryside Alliance has launched its own campaign to protect local moorlands after learning that organisation Wild Moors was lobbying Yorkshire Water to stop allowing game bird shooting on its moors.

Adrian Blackmore, director of The Countryside Alliance, which has thousands of members across Yorkshire, said: “It is essential that any decisions are taken based on the considerable scientific research and evidence that is available.”

“It is therefore vital that the rural community stands together to counter the attempts by Wild Moors and others to get Yorkshire Water not to renew the shooting lease on Thornton Moor,” he added.

Mr Blackmore added: “Yorkshire Water must not be allowed to be influenced by this vocal minority, but rather allow shooting and its associated management to continue, having taken account of all available science and evidence which supports their continuation.”

The Countryside Alliance has set up an online e-lobby campaign, which received 1,000 signatures in under 24 hours.

Earlier this month, Luke Steele, executive director of Wild Moors, said: “Yorkshire Water has a clear opportunity to pull the plug on game bird shooting on Thornton Moor and instead restore this locally treasured land for nature, the climate and people. It must take it.”

Yorkshire Water confirmed in 2019 that it would begin reviewing existing shooting leases on moorland it owns when they came up for renewal.

A spokesman for the utility firm said: “We announced in 2019 that we would review shooting leases as they come up for renewal using our six capitals model to ensure that activities on our land are providing the best outcomes for society and the environment.

“Many of our leases are long-term and we are working to finalise our complex assessment tool to ensure decisions we make about our land are robust and well evidenced.

“We hope to trial using the assessment tool soon.”

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