Grouse moors are no ecological desert

DR Helen Phillips, chief executive of Natural England, believes that except for small pockets of protected areas, the UK is in danger of becoming an ecological desert ("Countryside 'needs better protection'", WMN, March 10).

As the person in charge of protecting the country's landscape, she should be aware of the real conservation efforts being made by grouse moor managers and their significant results.

Moorland managed for red grouse forms one of the largest protected and special kinds of habitats in England, benefiting many forms of wildlife.

It is because of the habitat that has been produced by past management, and which continues to be managed by private landowners, that 49 per cent of grouse moors are designated as European Union Special Protection Areas for the rare birds they support, and 49 per cent as Special Areas of Conservation due to the plant species. Nationally, 66 per cent of grouse moors are protected as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and 45 per cent carry all three designations.

Dr Philips should also be aware that nature reserves are not necessarily the answer to protecting wildlife, as research commissioned by Natural England has recently highlighted.

The North Pennines SPA encompasses 17 SSSIs, including the 7,967-hectare Geltsdale and Glendue SSSI, of which the RSPB manages over 5,000 hectare as its "flagship" upland reserve. Yet the Geltsdale SSSI was found to have below-average densities of all important moorland birds, and in the case of dunlin, grey partridge and linnet it recorded none at all.

It also had under half the average number of golden plover and curlew, a third of the black grouse and snipe, and a quarter of the lapwing and redshank than in the rest of the region, the vast majority of which is privately managed for grouse shooting. Thanks to strict legal predator control and habitat management, it is on those moors that wildlife is more abundant; not on the RSPB's neighbouring nature reserve.

Adrian Blackmore

Moorlands Director The Countryside Alliance

Lib-Dem decline

LIBERAL Democrat MP Andrew George calls for unity in his own party with the imminent inception of Cornwall's unitary authority, which has been enforced on local residents who did not want it but was sought by the Lib-Dems so that the six district councils (which they didn't control) were dissolved and power solidified on Cornwall County Council, which they control with a vice-like dictatorial grip.

In their unitary authority bid they were aided by an inept New Labour Government and the five Lib-Dem MPs with constituencies in Cornwall, who all opposed a referendum.

Since their election in 2005 the Lib-Dems have presided over declining services, notably the fire service and adult social care, and are yet to get their hands on housing, planning, revenues and benefits, and cleansing services.

At the same time they have appointed a new tier of senior managers/directors at a cost of over £1 million a year – this while imposing a council tax increase of 4.9 per cent on residents of Penwith, the 35th most deprived district in England.

Residents of Cornwall will remember who delivers failing services, who imposed huge council tax increases, who has grandiose ideas and who denied them a vote on an unwanted authority.

John Payne

Newlyn

Unfair and unjust

FOR many years the Financial Services Authority prevaricated over its supervision of Equitable Life. Thousands of pensioners with the society have had their old age blighted because no-one would accept responsibility for the fiasco.

Last autumn the Ombudsman's office came out with its long-awaited and damning report, which unequivocally lay the responsibility at the door of the FSA, telling the Government to pay appropriate compensation forthwith. To date nothing. With a bit of luck a few hundred more will die before anything is done.

In the meantime a wealthy Scottish banker wrecks what was a highly successful bank, ruins the lives of thousands of his employees and appears able to legally walk away with millions of taxpayers money.

This Government has made great play of the words "fair" and "justice for all". To the ordinary man in the street recent events are neither fair nor just.

In a democracy we expect our political masters to protect us from such injustice.

Paul Tamblyn

Torpoint

Independent spirit

I AGREE with MP Andrew George's remarks in the WMN (March 5) that internal wrangling in the new One Cornwall executive should cease. May I go one further – scrap all political allegiances. Many years ago I was elected as an Independent on Caradon District Council in the heady days when Caradon and the county council were Independent. They were two of the last in the country. With the coming of party politics I refused to stand at the next election.

I was told recently that from that day council meetings are just confirmation of ruling party decisions. These of course are based on decisions handed down by London-based urban diktats.

Make the One Cornwall council one of independent councillors with the future of Cornwall in the forefront of its deliberations – forget London.

Philip Blamey

St Germans, Saltash

Slippery slope

RADIO Devon has been going down the slippery slope for a while. Sacking Graham Danton, a gentle-mannered man with charisma and a first class show, is nothing short of scandalous, and indicative of the way it is going.

I listen to very little of Radio Devon now, which is a shame – but I am not prepared to listen to utter rubbish and only tune in to some of the more decent spots.

Terry Kam-Radcliffe

Ipplepen

Hearts and minds

I WAS shocked to read about the BBC's treatment of Graham Danton. He will be missed greatly by me and all who used to look forward to his show on Sundays.

The BBC cannot win hearts and minds if it sacks people who are liked and retains people who are disliked.

Hyder Ali Pirwany

Okehampton