Mark Avery

Inglorious (eBook, ePUB)

Conflict in the Uplands

• Format: ePub

Produktbeschreibung

ONE OF 2015'S BOOKS OF THE YEAR IN THE TIMES AND THE MAIL ON SUNDAY.

A hard-hitting, passionate and well-researched book about the conflict between driven grouse shooting and nature conservation in Britain, with a foreword by Chris Packham.

Driven grouse shooting, where flocks of Red Grouse are chased by lines of beaters so that they fly over lines of 'guns' that shoot the fast-flying birds, is a peculiarly British fieldsport. It is also peculiarly British in that it is deeply rooted in the British class system. This multi-million pound business dominates the hills of the north of England - the Pennines, the North Yorkshire Moors, the Cheviots - and throughout Scotland. Grouse shooting is big business. VERY big business And backed by powerful, wealthy lobbying groups, its tendrils run throughout British society.

Inglorious makes the case for banning driven grouse shooting. The facts and arguments are presented fairly but the author, Mark Avery, states from the start why he has, after many years of soul-searching, come down in favour of an outright ban. There is too much illegal killing of wildlife, such as Buzzards, Golden Eagles, and, most egregiously of all, Hen Harriers; and, as a land use, it wrecks the ecology of the hills. However, grouse shooting is economically important, and it is a great British tradition. All of these, and other points of view, are given fair and detailed treatment and analysis - and the author talks to a range of people on different sides of the debate.

The book also sets out Avery's campaign with Chris Packham to gain support for the proposal to ban grouse shooting, culminating in 'Hen Harrier Day', timed to coincide with the 'Glorious' 12th.

This new paperback edition includes new material on what went on in 2015, including the devastating floods of that winter, bringing the story right up to date. Mark Avery continues to stir up a debate about fieldsports, the countryside and big business in a book that all British conservationists will want to read.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Bloomsbury UK eBooks
• Seitenzahl: 304
• Erscheinungstermin: 30. Juli 2015
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9781472917423
• Artikelnr.: 43405089

Autorenporträt

Mark Avery has combined bird watching with a career as a biologist. Since graduating from Cambridge University he has studied at Oxford and Aberdeen Universities and worked on Great Tit song, food-hoarding by Marsh Tits, foraging and social behaviour of Bee-eaters and hibernation of pipistrelle bats. Mark joined the RSPB staff in 1986 to work in the Flow Country and is now a Senior Research Biologist for the Society working on scientific aspects of land-use, international and marine issues.

Inhaltsangabe

Foreword Preface Chapter 1: The harrier harried Chapter 2: A short
introduction to grouse shooting Chapter 3: Langholm - the end of the
beginning Chapter 4: The battle lines are drawn Chapter 5: The beginning of
the end - 2014 Chapter 6: The sunlit uplands Chapter 7: End game Chapter 8:
Another year of progress Further reading Acknowledgements Index