Guidelines for owners and keepers

These guidelines are based on the continuing experience of an open day held on various moors during 2005/6. The objective was to hold an informal and relatively small event, concentrating on local people and we now have a template which can easily be modified as necessary on other moors.

Why are open days important?

• It is widely recognised that education of the public about moorland management is vital to ensure that grouse shooting continues
• A report from the Yorkshire Dales had highlighted a surprising lack of knowledge among some local people. Best to start education on the doorstep before going wider afield
• Open access makes keeper/public relations more important than ever. It would be ideal to know a core of regular visitors to the moor who could be allies in the regulation of access, dogs off leads, fires etc

When

For Snilesworth, Parkhall and Danby we chose early June so that there would be a full range of birds to see and better chance of reasonable weather. Winter is probably best avoided - March to October is best with May/June probably the peak months to see birds and emphasise the dog control message (breeding season). To do it properly will take around 3 hours. This could be a weekday evening in mid-summer (say 6.00 - 9.00 p.m.) to finish in the pub, but this will probably not attract children or many working people. At all the open days so far, we chose a Sunday afternoon 2.00 - 5.00 p.m. which worked well.

Format of the day

A good meeting point is needed with adequate car parking, space for static displays, a welcome talk and the introduction of key people. This should be followed by a walk taking approximately two hours on a one mile circular route. Some form of resfreshments at the end is important - ie tea and cake.

The informality should be stressed and visitors should be encouraged to aks questions at any time. It would be possible to transport small groups in Land Rovers further onto the moor, but this adds extra complication and generates safety/insurance issues.

It would be easy to attract a lot of people from a wide area to the open day, but estates need to balance cost and time and as a result it is probably better for most to hold their own small days more regularly (using their own resources) than to have a few larger open days. However, estates could join together to run this size of event.

Who to invite

It is a matter of judgement for any particular moor/estate as to how wide to cast the net. This will depend on what communities are nearby, the proportion of incomers and any particular local problems.

To date we have done it mainly by inviting targeted groups, placing notices on local boards and at moorland access points and through some limited advertising in the local press. The aim has been to attract people who have some interest in the particular moor. This has resulted in groups of between 30 and 60, including the home team. It has proven to be very hard work to get the right numbers of people by this method, with a lot of chasing up needed. Organisations who might have been expected to help put the word around have not been as helpful as expected. However, local people are still the most important group to contact and every effort must be made to put the word around.

Posters on notice boards and moorland access points have proved to be a good method, 60 plus is as big a group as you want - the more people, the more they straggle out on a walk. Uplands Appeal has now bought a small portable PA system which estates can borrow for open days - it could be an asset on a windy day with a large group.
Some of the groups contacted about open days have included:

• Village schools via the head teachers - in fact few children have attended to date. We need more careful discussion with schools in case of legal restrictions. (Scouts and Cub groups could be useful too)
• Parish councillors / parish notice boards, Women's Institute, Local police and National Park rangers
• Walkers via The Ramblers local secretaries and footpath officers. They were helpful and there is a good network of local groups across the country. Details can be supplied for some areas
• Bird watchers via RSPB local group secretaries. Again, they were helpful and details can be supplied. Most areas also have a local independent ornithological society.
• Advertising in National Park centres and magazines and via Friends of National Parks societies etc all have people likely to be interested
• County Wildlife Trust, CPRE, local Natural History groups
• Sourcing other local clubs and moor users via the internet
• Local mountain biking clubs, orienteering clubs if there are specific issues with those activities

Key people

Here are some suggestions for the individuals or groups who would need to take part on the day.

• Head keeper - the most important person
• Owner/sporting tenant/agent - important if keeper not comfortable with public speaking (training available if required)
• Farm tenant/grazier
• PR advisor from Countryside Alliance or Moorland Association - to "chair" the event and look after journalists etc
• If there are ornithologists who do bird counts on the moor as well as National Park wardens or Natural England staff, they are invaluable to give back up and to contribute to discussion. Messages are stronger if endorsed by these people
• If there are archaeological sites or other items of interest on the moor, a local expert can add colour. Dry stone walling / butt building or gun dog demo are examples of other activities which could give some additional interest.
• Other keepers, pickers-up etc to talk to visitors and to learn how to put on their own events

Key topics for demonstration/discussion

Here are some ideas for topics which could be included in talks and suggested activities.

• Open access - CroW act, restrictions, Moorland Visitors Code
• Management - heather burning, fire risk, bracken control, grit piles, water scrapes etc. Road maintenance - helps walkers too.
• Predator control - why, legal techniques
• Moorland birds - what visitors will see, habitat needs
• Farming - grazing system, interaction with keepering
• Grouse butts - what happens on shoot day, local employment, hotels and services
• Road maintenance

Written material to hand out

Fact sheets, literature and other information could be handed out, here are some suggestions.

• Moorland Visitor's Code (available from Countryside Agency/Moorland Association)
• Fact sheet - now updated, with figures etc.
• Any other useful literature relating to the moor/area - At Danby we used their own information sheet/map, plus their newsletter, Game to Eat leaflet, Fire Kills etc.

Demonstrations

It is important to have as many things for people to look at as possible. To date we have had:

• A pen of Swaledale sheep as the focus for grazing discussion,
• A pen of spaniels (ideal for children),
• A notice board with map showing the extent of the moor, access land and excepted land, rights of way, access points and other pictures. Blown up photos of moorland birds would be ideal
• The National Park rangers came with their own display boards
• Various traps, snares etc
• Grouse tasting

On the walk, we looked at Larsen traps, crow cages, tunnel traps, camouflaged keeper doing crow control - to explain what was legal (do not touch!) and what people might come across (don't be alarmed!) Also a fire lighting and extinguishing demonstration/equipment, to get across the fire risk message. Looked at burnt areas of different ages. Bracken control demo would be good too.

Insurance etc

Estates need to check their policy as this could be the difference between inviting people onto the land and people just taking access. It is important that visitors are kept well away from any potentially dangerous demonstration (ie fire) and only touch equipment or animals under strict supervision.

Special precautions need to be taken with children. If a significant number of youngsters are expected someone with suitable experience could be delegated to keep them entertained/interested as a separate group. Risk assessment should be carried out prior to the day and following the "Walk the Course" meeting. The Countryside Alliance has a blanket policy for public events which can supplement an estate's own insurance.

Press coverage

This is very important and can be arranged by the Countryside Alliance and Moorland Association. It may just involve a photo call at the beginning, or involve a journalist attending the whole event.

It is worthwhile to get an independent photographer to get a good stock of pictures for circulation to the local media after the event and it is also useful to get quotes from visitors (ideally with their names, addresses and permission to use the information they give) about what they learnt from the day and whether their views have been changed as a result.

Who does what?

The process needs to be start at least two to three months before the event. The Countryside Alliance (Tim Baynes and Pat Colton) will be involved with all aspects of planning the day and organising invitations and press coverage etc. In the lead up to the event, the estate will be responsible for putting up posters (click here for a template) and helping spread the word about the event and on the day the estate will organise what happens on the ground - demonstrations, catering and contacts with others who can help out. At the event Tim Baynes will normally act as chairman, Prompter and time keeper, and Pat Colton will monitor the attendees and ensure they all have information packs.

Contact

Tim Baynes
Moorland Policy and Information Officer
The Countryside Alliance
The Granary
Tutta Beck Farm
Rokeby
BARNARD CASTLE
Co. Durham DL12 9RY

Tel 01833 695 749
Fax 01833 695 823
Mobile 07887 643 521

tim-baynes@countryside-alliance.org