Manx Uplands Strategy

Peregrines and ravens appear on the Isle of Man's coat of arms.

It is well worth noting the recent publication of the Manx government's strategy for the future of its uplands. The full Upland Strategy document is available here, and there is also value in exploring the extraordinary situation facing grouse on the Island. In the 1970s, red grouse were widely abundant on the Isle of Man, and their subsequent decline coincided with a considerable amount of afforestation in the uplands which led to a fragmentation of the moors.

At the same time, the first Manx hen harriers began to breed on the island in the early 1960s, reaching a density peak in 2006 when 52 nests were identified. Over the past thirty years, grouse numbers have declined so dramatically that the entire upland area of the Isle of Man now only supports between thirty and seventy pairs of grouse each Spring. The number varies year by year, and the new report identifies raptor predation as a key factor in the suppression of grouse numbers.

The Isle of Man is represented in heraldry by both the peregrine and the raven, and the cultural significance of upland raptors cannot be overstated as a source of pride for the Manx people. The problem currently facing the sporting tenants is that while the past ten years have been devoted to managing the hills with considerable gusto, a viable return in the form of a grouse bag has not been forthcoming. Looking objectively at the extent and quality of heather management on the Isle of Man, it is clear to see that there is no way that the grouse are absent as a result of neglect or disinterest, and many far less diligently maintained moors can be reliably shot year after year in Scotland and England. Much of the afforestation has been reversed, and more is now being felled to control the spread of a major Phytophthora outbreak.

Aerial photographs reveal the fantastic extent of the work put in by the sporting tenants, but these are people who remember what grouse shooting was like in the 1970s and before and are working to resurrect those days. It is difficult to encourage a new generation of moorland managers to take on and continue the sterling work put in by the incumbents when the promise or expectation of a reasonable bag of grouse seems such an unobtainable goal. 

Within the complexity of predator/prey relationships, there are now concerns that the genetic viability of Manx grouse is being suppressed by isolation and fragmentation. It has been suggested that fresh bloodlines of grouse should be introduced from Great Britain to boost the existing stock, which in turn might aid in the birds' ability to evade predators and thrive. In their report, the Uplands Strategy Steering Group formally recognises the potential value of relocation as a means of addressing this issue, and in turn, this is a reflection of the Manx government's understanding of the importance of sporting management in the uplands. This is not without controversy, and some commentators on the Island worry that the full resurrection of sporting management would include raptor persecution.

The document covers all aspects of land management in the hills, and while it is in no way restricted to grouse and sporting matters, it is very refreshing to see a plan for the future that is so obviously grounded in a practical, hands-on attitude to maintaining and improving the condition of the uplands.