They advise farmers and landowners on improving wildlife habitat and they lobby for agricultural and conservation policies based on science. Many supporters take part in field sports. They invest in managing wildlife habitat in the countryside. This improves biodiversity and represents a philosophy of "Conservation through wise use".

The term wise use, when applied to hunting, is based on the optimum sustainable yield. Stable wildlife populations have reproduction and death rates that balance each other. This happens because, as natural resources are used up, mortality increases and fecundity reduces. This density dependence maintains population stability. When hunted, a population is reduced, but this frees-up resources which reduces other mortality or increases the birth rate. Thus regularly hunted populations stabilise at lower levels than unhunted ones, but are more productive. The maximum sustainable hunting rate is achieved when the largest number of animals are breeding at the fastest possible rate. This is the maximum sustainable yield . Harvesting strategies are usually set at a rate lower than this - the optimum sustainable yield.

Game managers try to enhance productivity by providing better habitat and more food, and at the same time reduce the mortality due to predators and disease. In this way managed game populations are very productive and often have higher breeding stocks than populations that are not managed and not shot.

Game management can also benefit animals and plants that have similar requirements. But, over intensive game management can reduce some biodiversity if, for example, rare carnivores and birds of prey are exterminated. Hunting and game management is only conservation through wise use if these species are conserved too.

In this way, by conservation through wise use, game management can be said to support wildlife conservation overall. This is amply illustrated by a new conservation report called ‘Nature’s Gain’ which has identified that if it were not for game management the British countryside would be a lot poorer and much wildlife habitat would have been lost to intensive, subsidised farming and forestry. The 32-page report, written by Dr Stephen Tapper, Director of Policy and Public Affairs with The Game Conservancy Trust, argues that management by gamekeepers and land owners for game shooting, has enhanced and protected the British landscape and improved habitats for a range of animals and plants as well as gamebirds.

In writing the report Dr Tapper has drawn together published scientific research as well as the views of other conservation writers to illustrate the story.

The report shows that: ● Upland heather moor (a habitat of international importance) has been better conserved on properties that manage grouse for shooting than it has been elsewhere. ● Moors managed for grouse typically have many more golden plover, lapwing, curlew and merlin than other moorland. ● Pheasant shooting has been a key incentive for managing and retaining lowland woods over the last 100 years, and has prevented many from being ripped out for agriculture or replaced by conifer plantations. ● The management of woods for shooting, with rides and glades, improves the numbers of butterflies and some songbirds. ● Game biologists were pioneers of wildlife research on arable land and were the first to recognise the detrimental indirect effects of herbicides on farmland bird populations. ● Thousands of hectares of game crops and thousands of tonnes of grain, put out for pheasants and partridges, feed many farmland songbirds over winter. ● Field margins managed for gamebirds provide a refuge for butterflies in the countryside, and help to conserve the last relics of an ancient Neolithic weed flora.

The full report is available from The Game Conservancy Trust, Fordingbridge, Hampshire, SP6 1EF. Telephone : 01425 652381. Or visit the Trust’s website: www.gct.org.uk to view the report or for more about The Game Conservancy Trust, it's work and aims.

Fishing and wildlife watching sit happily side by side at Langford Lakes Nature Reserve, each benefiting from improvement works and management. Owning a nature reserve does not mean just putting a fence around a piece of land. These dynamic living places have to be managed to make sure they are in the best condition to benefit wildlife and a site as important as this one requires careful management and sympathetic use.

In 2001 Wiltshire Wildlife Trust purchased the former Langford Fisheries in Steeple Langford near Salisbury, a 33 acre site with two flooded gravel pits and a half mile stretch of River Wylye, a chalk river of exceptional conservation. The Trust said at the time that this "site is a wonderful addition to our nature reserves across the county, it is already well known as an exceptional site for over-wintering birds as well as for its top-quality river fishing." Since then the Trust has been able to add a further gravel pit to the site. The waters are home to brown trout and grayling and the Trust owns the fishing rights both for the lakes and the half mile stretch of river. The river fly-fishing is let out on a day-ticket system on a strictly 'no-kill' basis with all fish returned to the river after capture. There is also coarse fishing on Brockbank Lake, available to members of the Langford Lakes Fishing Club run by the Wildlife Trust. All fish are wild and no artificial restocking of the river has taken place for over 5 years.

Since acquiring the nature reserve the Wildlife Trust has made many improvements to the site, erecting screens of woven hazel along the approaches to the bird watching hides to ensure birds are not disturbed whilst visitors are close enough to watch them from close quarters. There has also been a wide range of habitat improvements on the River Wylye all of which benefit trout & grayling but also a wide array of other wildlife. These improvements range from flow deflectors creating deeper areas of water suitable for adult fish and bank stabilisation using live willow and dead hazel to reduce erosion to continuing the removal of pike by electrofishing in an effort to reduce predation. Habitat creation work has turned the lakes into an ideal place for breeding and over-wintering birds, work along the river has improved the living conditions for many plants and animals that are found only in chalk streams. The River Wylye as a whole is of international importance and brown trout and salmon are known to have spawned on the stretch owned by the Trust. Some of the shores of the three lakes have been reshaped to diversify the range of habitats for birds and fish; three islands have been created and the lakes' shores planted with rushes, sedges and reeds to create safe habitats for breeding birds. Over 150 bird species have been recorded at Langford Lakes in the last 20 years including one for the UK's most endangered birds the bittern. Otters and voles regularly use the river and lakes.

The Wylye is part of the River Avon System SSSI and is designated a cSAC for a range of species and habitat types. The improvement for both river and lakes and for fishing and wildlife in general are ongoing and the trust runs a series of conservation workdays, visit the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust website (see below) or contact them for more information.

The Trust runs many family wildlife experience events and other groups use this special site for fishing related events. At the end of July the Environment Agency ran Learn to Fish events at the Reserve and in June The Wild Trout Trust uses the site for an in depth introduction to wild trout.

For information please contact Wiltshire Wildlife Trust on 01722 790770, email: wwtlangford@btinternet.com or visit the website at: www.wiltshirewildlife.org

They also control pests. Gamekeepers maintain and create woodlands, hedgerows, and ponds for quarry species these also provide shelter for many other kinds of wildlife, helping to ensure the biodiversity of our countryside. Habitat maintained for game provides important habitat for "at risk" species such as the dormouse, spotted flycatcher and a variety of butterfly species. Pest and predator control carried out by gamekeepers benefits ground nesting birds such as the redshank. Gamekeepers are involved in conservation initiatives and work with many conservation agencies such as English Nature, British Trust for Ornithology and local wildlife trusts. Many manage areas which are legally protected for wildlife, such as Sites of Special Scientific Interest. In total, gamekeepers manage around 7.3 million hectares of countryside in the United Kingdom, an area almost the size of Scotland. It is officially recognised by the statutory conservation bodies - English Nature, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Countryside Council for Wales – that land managed for game shooting not only maintains and creates important habitats but also directly contributes to the survival of other wildlife.

The gamekeeper works closely with the farm manager and forester to arrive at estate management policies which are economically viable whilst at the same time conserving both game and wildlife. There are different types of gamekeepers: Lowland keepers work in woodland and open farmland and are concerned mainly with pheasant, partridge and mallard. Upland keepers work on moors and are concerned mainly with grouse, blackcock and deer. Highland keepers/stalkers are mainly involved with the stalking of deer. In some of the higher areas of Scotland they are also concerned with ptarmigan. There are currently some 5,000 full-time gamekeepers employed in the UK. In addition, there are many who spend their leisure time and money, rearing game and maintaining habitats on their own small shoots. Traditionally, gamekeeping was a family occupation with the know-how being passed down from generation to generation. Today gamekeeping is a profession with codes of practice and agreed national standards through a Gamekeeping Vocational Qualification. Also many colleges now offer land based management degrees and courses which include gamekeeping.

There are no set hours in gamekeeping and no over-time. Gamekeepers need to work until the job is finished, which can mean very long hours, including early morning, evening, night and weekend work. Most of the time working outdoors in all weather conditions. At many times of the year any social life you have disappears because of the demands of the job.
The work of a gamekeeper varies from season to season. In spring and summer as a lowland keeper the main task is rearing young, upland or highland keepers do not rear the game. All keepers ensure game is kept safe from predators and competitors and make any necessary repairs to buildings, equipment and game pens.

The shooting season is the busiest time of the year and varies according to the particular game and its season. Gamekeepers arrange shoots and hire and supervise beaters.

Throughout the year, much of the work involves maintaining the shoot habitat. This involves clearing woodland or burning heather, building and maintaining fences and hedges also clearing ponds and ditches. If poaching is a problem game is protected by frequent patrols of the beat area at night and keeping in touch with the police. Other tasks include keeping records and training gun dogs.

A gamekeeper should be: ● fit, energetic and strong ● willing to work outdoors in all weather conditions ● knowledgeable of the countryside and its wildlife ● good at working with their hands and willing to tackle all sorts of practical jobs ● able to work on their own for long periods, but also work as part of a small team ● safety conscious when dealing with guns and chemicals ● alert and observant. ● It helps to have an interest in the environment and in shooting and traditional countryside activities.

Gamekeepers do not always need academic qualifications, but it can help if they have some GCSEs or S grades. They may need some practical experience before they start work. The best experience would be helping a gamekeeper. Weekend beating or helping with pheasant-rearing is also useful.

Foundation Modern Apprenticeships and Modern Apprenticeships may be available for young people in Wales. Agricultural colleges in England, Wales and Scotland run a number of full-time courses to train for gamekeeping.

There are only a few job vacancies every year with thousands of people after them. The pay is very low especially when you consider how much work is completed and how worthwhile it is. Despite this the job is very rewarding and all gamekeepers love their work.

CJS gratefully acknowledges the assistance of the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (www.basc.org.uk) and Connexions (www.connextions.gov.uk) in writing this article.
Why Deer Management?	I have been involved with guns and country pursuits since childhood, from shooting my first air rifle under my grandfather’s supervision to ferreting with him and my father, through rough shooting, running a pheasant shoot and grouse moor to deer stalking and deer management. I first became interested in deer 30 years ago when Roe deer were just starting to colonise this part of North Yorkshire. The first Roe I saw was a large healthy doe, standing on the grass verge as I drove to work at 4.00am one morning. I braked so hard to stop and look that I smashed the 30 dozen eggs stacked in the boot of my car! Following that first sighting I began looking for, and finding, Roe. I then bought a rifle and took up stalking. I became a member of the British Deer Society and would read anything I could about all kinds of deer. As I read my interest grew and I realised that there is much more to deer than just shooting, so I attended courses about deer and their management.

Some years later I was given the chance to manage the deer on a large private estate. This was the start! My task was to manage deer Red, Roe and Muntjac over a large area. This included working out a cull plan, sticking to it and keeping records of all deer shot. I also had to work in harmony with the forestry interests on the estate, a large operation involving lots of felling and replanting of vulnerable young trees. As on any large estate, it was essential to fit in with all other land uses without causing any upset through careless or thoughtless actions.

The culling of deer is a sensitive and emotive issue but deer do damage crops and trees and if left unchecked their numbers increase rapidly. Deer are beautiful, elegant animals capable of feeling pain so, in my view, the primary aim of culling should be to minimise suffering of any kind. I have seen areas where deer have not been managed and properly culled resulting in dozens of corpses and extensive environmental damage. Allowing deer to suffer and die of starvation and/or disease due to overpopulation is cruel and immoral and also totally unnecessary in this day and age. Better to harvest a beautiful natural asset than watch them suffer and waste away.

I have managed the deer on a large estate and local farmland for the last ten years and have conducted deer census work for other interested landowners to develop future management plans. Lack of space restricts me from delving deeper into the subject but I believe deer enhance the countryside and deserve fair and humane treatment. When I say I stalk deer the most common response is "We like to see them around" So do I! By managing the population of an area the deer can thrive without causing excessive damage to crops, gardens etc and so remain for all to enjoy.

For more information please contact Paul Ventress, Professional Deer Manager, on 01947 880819

Founded in 1997, the Trust has some 2,500 members, but only one full-time salaried member of staff, no political allegiances or objectives and no fancy offices. It exists solely to encourage hands-on conservation work and kick-start river restoration projects.

The Advisory Visit (AV) scheme is at the heart of the Trust's work and characterises its 'hands on' approach to wild trout conservation. Under the scheme, the Trust subsidises a visit from an expert fisheries consultant who makes a detailed report on the river in question and offers advice on means to restore, maintain and improve habitat for wild trout throughout their life cycle.

The recipient is then free to make whatever they wish of the recommendations, and responses to a recent survey of AV recipients suggest that over 90 per cent of all AVs turn into a substantial habitat improvement project. The WTT is always keen to assist where there is enthusiasm for more work. This follow-up assistance from the WTT ranges from sponsorship, match funding or even national recognition at the prestigious annual Conservation Awards.

WTT projects director Edward Twiddy believes much of the increased demand is down to 'word of mouth' recommendation as fishing clubs witness first hand the benefits neighbouring riparian owners have reaped following a successful AV. "As the advisory visit scheme continues to translate into real change on the ground, a pattern is emerging of requests coming in from clubs and managers of neighbouring waters," explained Edward. "The 10 latest AV's approved by the Habitat Advisory Unit exemplify the geographical and habitat spread of the Trust's work. From Somerset and Dorset in the south, through Lincolnshire, Staffordshire and Derbyshire, north to the Pennines in West Yorkshire and then to Loch Achray in the Trossachs and the fabulous Aberdeenshire Don, the Trust is providing expert advice to clubs and managers on all kinds of rivers and stillwaters across the UK."

The WTT always welcomes applications and still has some funding for more AVs in 2005. The application process is straightforward - simply email: projects@wildtrout.org or write to: The Projects Officer, Wild Trout Trust, PO Box 120, Waterlooville, PO8 0WZ with a request for support and a short summary of the location and current management of the site.

In order to continue its work, the Trust relies on a healthy membership base and new members are always welcome. For details of how to join, contact the Trust at the address above, or log onto the WTT website: www.wildtrout.org.

As farm incomes fall and payments switch from production to environment through the Environmental Stewardship Scheme, farmers are increasingly turning their attention to environmental management on their own farms. Very often this is compatible with their recreational interests such as shooting and fishing. In fact many of the habitat options within Environmental Stewardship were developed by the Game Conservancy Trust, including the work of the Allerton Project, from habitats created primarily for gamebirds.

The Allerton Project is based on its own 333 hectare farm at Loddington, Leicestershire. As well as running its own farm business (ensuring our practical credibility to farmers and policy makers alike) the Allerton Project has been at the forefront of developing practical environmental management practices since it started in 1992. The project simultaneously demonstrated the enormous conservation benefits, in terms of increases in farmland bird numbers that can arise from the adoption of a wild gamebird management system. The system and the research programme include work on such features as beetle banks, grass field boundary strips, and wildlife seed mixtures, all of which are now part of Environmental Stewardship.

Increasingly we are researching soil management and its implications for water quality. The link between soil management and the potential of streams for trout fishing is not always immediately obvious, but our work is investigating how changing management practices and introducing other mitigation can reduce the movement of soil and nutrients to water and thereby improve spawning habitat for wild trout, as well as for other aquatic species.

Much of our research is carried out in collaboration with a number of universities, according to their specialist expertise, and research is often carried out by PhD and MSc students co-supervised by us. We also occasionally take on seasonal staff to help with our research work at peak times. This collaboration brings new insights to our work. Over the coming years we will be continuing to contribute important and practical research based information on how the farmland environment can be managed to meet economic, environmental and social objectives simultaneously as the objectives of both farmers and policy makers continue to evolve. www.allertontrust.org.uk