Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust

Infobox Company
company_name = Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust
company_
company_type = Conservation charity
foundation = 1931
location = Burgate Manor, Fordingbridge, Hampshire
key_people = Teresa Dent , chief executive
area_served = United Kingdom
num_employees = 160 staff
company_slogan = "Conservation through wise use"
homepage = http://www.gct.org.ukThe Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust [ [http://www.gct.org.uk/article.asp?PageId=78&ArticleId=282 News - The Game Conservancy Trust ] ] (formerly the Game Conservancy Trust) is a British charitable organisation, principally associated with the shooting industry, promoting game and wildlife management as an essential part of nature conservation. For over 75 years the Trust has been conducting scientific research to understand why there have been declines in species such as the grey partridge, black grouse, water vole, corn bunting and brown hare.

The Trust advises conservationists, farmers and land managers on ways to improve wildlife habitat and enhance the countryside for public benefit. It also lobbies government for agricultural and conservation policies based on science.

Notable conservation projects of the Trust are those conserving grey partridges, black grouse and regarding control of mink where they are predating water voles.

History

A severe outbreak of the disease "Strongylosis" in grey partridges in 1931 led Major HG Eley (a shotgun cartridge manufacturer) to establish the ICI Game Research Station at Knebworth in Hertfordshire. The organisation monitored partridge numbers and investigated their biology.

After the war, Major Eley established a new base at Burgate Manor in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, establishing what was later known as the Eley Game Advisory Service. They leased a local convert|4000|acre|km2|sing=on estate and for 14 years ran it as a demonstration and experimental game shoot.

Much of the association's early work was on organo chlorine pesticides and this work helped to bring in a ban on the use of dieldrin, aldrin and heptachlor seed dressings in 1962. In April 1980, the organisation was registered as a research and education charity under the name The Game Conservancy Trust.

On 1 October 2007, after 27 years as the Game Conservancy Trust, the organisation was renamed to the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, to reflect the fact that they work to conserve a wider range of wildlife other than game animals.

Conservation

The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, on some projects in association with the RSPB, The Mammal Society, The Environment Agency and Natural England, work for the following species and habitats:

* Grey Partridge
* Black Grouse
* Brown Hare
* Capercaillie
* Chalk Trout Streams
* Field margins
* Heather moorland
* Farmland birds

The Trust are one of the pioneers in research into conservation headlands and beetle banks.

Research

The Trust have carried out many reports on countryside and game management, on topics such as numbers of gamebirds, disease in gamebirds, predator control and farming practices.

ee also

* Hunting in the United Kingdom
* Game (food)
* British Association for Shooting and Conservation

External links

* [http://www.gct.org.uk]

References