There are a number of regional moorland groups across England and Scotland, from the Peak District Moorland Group, to the Loch Ness Rural Communities Group.
A fortnight ago the Nidderdale Moorland Group wrote to their local candidates, inviting them to visit the moors and the people who live there. The Conservative candidate for Skipton and Ripon Julian Smith, who is running for re-election, accepted their invitation, and last Thursday he met with Nidderdale Gamekeepers, rural business owners and other locals to discuss issues facing the uplands at the moment.
They covered a wide range of topics, from misinformation in the media, damage to legally set traps, the malicious call outs of the Fire Brigades during heather burning, the danger of fuel loads on our moors in feeding wildfires to the continuing work grip blocking to rewet the moors and working with the local community. Many subjects were raised and discussed and C4PMC and the Nidderdale Moorland Group would both like to thank Mr Smith for taking the time to come and talk to our gamekeepers and local hotel owner, Mr Ray Carter, who talked about how much local rural businesses rely on the income from the shooting season through autumn and winter.
Both rural and – more specifically – moorland communities are often sidelined - if not ignored, by MPs and politicians more widely, so it’s lovely to see that Smith is willing to come to the moors and listen to the concerns of moorland communities. Let’s hope that more MPs follow in his footsteps.