Environment in the spotlight at Scottish Game Fair

As new farm policy is likely to have a major focus on environmental measures, farmers and land managers need to be aware of the natural capital stock that they hold on their ground and how this can be enhanced.

Scottish Game Fair.

And with agriculture accounting for around 70 per cent of Scotland’s land use, the key role which the sector will play in addressing climate change and promoting biodiversity while still producing food will be centre stage at the Game and Wildlife Conservancy Trust’s exhibit at next weekend’s Scottish Game Fair, which takes place at Scone Palace from September 24 to 26.

Claiming that a baseline with accurate information marked the starting point for verifying environmental credentials, the trust will use the fair – which is one of the few landmark rural events to take place this year – to showcase a field-tested app which has been developed that will enable the recording and monitoring of different species and habitats.

The centrepiece exhibit drills down into the future challenges of a farm support system based on delivery for the environment, and also looks at the role of sustainable shooting by illustrating how farmers can be more “green” by adopting measures such as farm environmental audits, monitoring greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration measures, and improving efficiency.

“Benefits can also be gained by farmers working together in farmer clusters, particularly in terms of soil quality, water and wildlife at landscape scale,” explained the GWCT’s director in Scotland, Rory Kennedy.

“Our display at the GWCT Scottish Game Fair promotes these important messages at an important time.”

The new app, he said, could be used to record and monitor different species and habitats which could help quantify the benefits of new measures which were introduced – whether that was for a more sustainable shoot or a more sustainable farm.

He said: “Looking at how this can be achieved in moorland and low ground game management settings, as well as across Scotland’s farmed landscape, the exhibit sets out the background for this drive for evidence.”

With the event taking place just before the date for proposed Covid vaccine passports James Gower, managing director of the company organising the event, said that every precaution would be taken at the fair.

He said: “We have been planning this event for more than a year against a backdrop of not knowing what restrictions would be in place – and havebeen planning for the worst while hoping for the best.”

Mr Gower said that, even although the event was taking place outdoors, there would still be extra-wide aisles, additional toilets and hand sanitising points, with extra-large tentpitching sites to ensure that best practice was followed.

He added that. while tickets could still be obtained at the gate, the need to record names and addresses meant that anyone wanting faster access should buy their ticket online ahead of the event as details could be entered at home, ensuring faster entry.