Conflict in the air

Abstract

Conservation The heather-coated uplands of the British Isles are home to two charismatic and specialized birds: the commercially valuable red grouse and its rare raptor predator, the hen harrier. These species are the focus of an often-emotional conflict after highly publicized poisonings of hen harriers. St John et al. analyzed the basis of the human confrontation and report on the results of a questionnaire answered by more than 500 members of field sport and nature conservation organizations. There was an apparently irreconcilable gulf in responses to management approaches, depending on whether the respondent was pro–grouse conservation for hunting or pro–bird conservation overall. The authors concluded that there may be some prospects for consensus if the adversaries are engaged in joint planning for the longer-term future of the British upland landscape. People Nat. 1 , 6 (2019).