NGO Educational Trust at Enville & Beckbury Village Shows
August Bank Holiday Monday, the Educational Trust set up a display on a very wet and cold morning at the Enville Village Show. Not knowing what to expect and what the reaction would be from the 800 or so visitors we were pleasantly surprised to find that we were kept busy all afternoon explaining the role of the keeper in conservation and sustainable habitat management.
By contrast the following Saturday was rather warmer and much more pleasant, with about 4 – 5000 visitors expected at nearby Beckbury Show we were prepared for a busier day and boy did we get one.
At both these local events the interest was great and the understanding of the holistic approach to conservation that gamekeepers practice was well understood and accepted. When the realisation dawned on many that predator control and habitat management can work hand in hand for the benefit of the more vulnerable species it invariably gave rise to the comment from the public that ‘it is all about keeping the balance I suppose’. Now where have we heard that before?