Gamekeepers who fought the Strathspey and Moray fires welcome muirburn licence delay
The muirburn row has flared up again today with reactions on both sides of the hill to the delay in implementing licensing for the controversial practice.
The British Association for Shooting and Conservation ‘cautiously welcomed’ the announcement by Scotland’s Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity Jim Fairlie that the new start date is now set for autumn 2026.
The licensing scheme was originally due to come into force in September this year and was previously postponed until January next year.
BASC, alongside other rural stakeholders, had raised concerns about the readiness of the proposed system, highlighting significant practical challenges for land managers and practitioners.
Association director Peter Clark said substantial work still needed to be done to make it workable for members, such as gamekeepers: “BASC Scotland lobbied the Scottish Government to delay the implementation date of muirburn licensing until next year because of concerns raised by members.
“Whilst we welcome this delay, and it is progress, the fact remains that the legislation makes the licensing scheme impractical and unworkable.
“BASC is now urging the Scottish Government to amend the Wildlife Management and Muirburn Act, to remove the provisions which place other forms of vegetation control ahead of muirburn.
“Lessons have to be learned after the spate of serious wildfires this year, and BASC will continue to lobby Scottish Government to ensure further changes are made.”
At the same time gamekeepers - among the front-line battlers in this year’s record wildfires in Strathspey and Moray - welcomed the delay.
Scottish Gamekeepers Association chairman Alex Hogg, MBE said: “The Dava wildfire, combined with new research on the role prescribed burning can play in protecting peatlands and preventing wildfires, makes this move from Scottish Government 100% necessary.
“The Minister has engaged with land managers constructively and the decision to delay the changes to muirburn is not only common sense, it is also necessary if we are to protect the public and Scotland’s peatlands.
“Watching 100 years of carbon released from peatlands through wildfire is in no one’s interest. It does nothing for our environmental targets or public investment.
“The SGA supports the Minister’s move and looks forward to making future changes more workable, drawing on our members’ centuries of knowledge in this area.”
But RSPB Scotland were deeply disappointed with the hold-up.
Duncan Orr-Ewing, head of species and land management at the Scottish charity, said: “RSPB Scotland is deeply disappointed that yet another delay to the implementation of the muirburn provisions of the Wildlife Management and Muirburn Act 2024 has been announced by the Scottish Government.
“Concern over wildfire in the uplands of Scotland unites a broad spectrum of land managers, particularly in the wake of this year’s fires. RSPB Scotland sees improved regulation of muirburn as a part of the solution.
“Muirburn as a practice has been very weakly regulated since the Second World War and there were many examples of poor practice leading to negative impacts, including starting wildfires.
“The new framework, proposed by the independent Grouse Moor Management Review Group nearly six years ago, is meant to allow muirburn to continue, but with more oversight so that the negative impacts are avoided.
“Importantly, the new law has been designed to allow land managers to pre-emptively undertake muirburn to mitigate wildfire risk.
“We recognise that some land managers are concerned about the legislation.
“We hope this further delay will provide ample opportunity for the Scottish Government and NatureScot to put in place the proper training and advice for practitioners on the ground, as well as better communicate to land managers how the licencing system will operate in advance of its full implementation ahead of the Autumn 2026 muirburn season.”