Following a dogged and ongoing campaign on this key issue for members by the SGA, Scottish Land and Estates and others, the new Bill will see an extension to the muirburn season, by application, for the purposes of approved training. This is a move the SGA fully supports.
Additionally, an amendment by Beatrice Wishart, also supported by the SGA, corrects a stipulation of the Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill that a successful application to make muirburn on peatlands for the purpose of preventing wildfire, would, first have had to try other forms of vegetation management.
This stipulation of the original Bill went against the longest-running research into the relative impacts of different forms of vegetation management on peatlands (York University) which found that far less is known about the long-term impacts of other forms of management and that, muirburn is actually likely to create greater benefit, in terms of both wildfire prevention and long-term carbon storage, than other management.
In encouraging the Chamber to back the amendments, Minister Jim Fairlie described the evidence for other forms of management as 'inconclusive' and could therefore not be 'automatically assumed to be preferable' (to muirburn).
See video, below.
It was logical, therefore, for that part of the Muirburn Bill to be corrected - a move which is backed by science (and was backed by the Parliament).
While the Bill is only one element of the ongoing campaign to ensure muirburn licensing and the Code to which it aligns is workable and effective for the purpose, the SGA continues to engage with the Minister and officials on the Muirburn Code.
The SGA also recently developed a paper, in conjunction with Scotland’s Regional Moorland Groups, which outlined the millions of pounds of resources (and knowledge) shooting estates can bring to the national effort to tackle wildfires, see:
The SGA will continue to advance members’ interests on this important and developing issue.
