Celebrating the Glorious Twelfth

That the Parliament celebrates, on the 12th of August, the Glorious Twelfth; believes that grouse moor management makes a vital contribution to Scotland’s rural economy, biodiversity and wildfire resilience; further believes that the North East region has some of Scotland’s best grouse moors; understands that Scotland’s shooting sector is believed to contribute £780 million in gross added value to the Scottish economy; celebrates the culmination of what it considers to be a year of hard work undertaken by gamekeepers and land managers in promoting sustainable grouse moor management; takes the view that grouse moors boost biodiversity, providing important refuges and mosaic landscapes for many endangered ground-nesting birds, including lapwing, curlew and golden plover; further believes that, without careful management and predator control, the result would be biodiversity loss and harm to Scotland’s natural environment; further takes the view that active grouse moor management, including practices such as muirburn, and the management of vegetation, plays an important role in reducing fuel loads across Scotland’s moorlands, helping to reduce the build-up and continuity of combustible vegetation, thus mitigating wildfire risk; appreciates organisations such as BASC and its members in promoting the work of those who manage Scotland’s grouse moors and the benefits it considers they bring to Scotland’s countryside; and wishes all those involved in grouse moor management in Scotland and the North East region, the very best for the season ahead.