Memorandum submitted by English Nature
1. English Nature always takes animal welfare
issues seriously, both on its own land holdings and in its dealings
with other nature conservation organisations.
2. We also need to raise awareness of any
constraining effects the Bill's provisions might have in respect
of the management of livestock as used in extensive grazing systems
on Sites of Special Scientific Interest, National Nature Reserves
and other designated wildlife sites. Grazing is one of the most
economical techniques for preventing unwanted vegetation succession.
Failure to be able to utilise grazing livestock on such sites
would seriously affect our ability to deliver Public Service Agreement
targets on biodiversity, landscape and public access.
3. We were involved in and strongly supported
the production of the Grazing Animals Project's Guide to Animal
Welfare in Nature Conservation Grazing, GAP 2001. This document
has been central to the wide adoption of risk assessments and
best practice approaches to the care of livestock on conservation
sites. This delivers standards equal to those of the Defra farmed
livestock codes whilst being more appropriate to the particular
grazing conditions that occur on extensive sites. We support GAP's
current initiative with various animal welfare organisations and
Defra staff in reconvening its Animal Welfare Working Group with
the aim of updating the GAP Guide to take account of new issues
that are being debated in relation to extensive grazing schemes.
4. We are aware that Defra staff are considering
a longer-term possibility that the updated GAP Guide/Working Group
might be the core resource for production of a Code of Practice
for "extensive grazing systems" approved under the Act.
We support this suggestion and will be keeping in touch with these
developments through John Bacon, our Senior Land Manager who is
leading on our behalf within GAP.
25 August 2004
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