With three open moorland wildfires currently burning outside Manchester in early April and warmer weather on the horizon, the National Sheep Association (NSA) is calling for an honest and practical debate on upland management.

Well intentioned agri-environment schemes have removed grazing animals from many upland areas to protect vegetation and improve the condition of designated sites. However, in many cases this has led to a significant buildup of fuel, with few managed fire breaks.

When these wildfires occur, they threaten people and property while also damaging peatland and wildlife, directly undermining the goals of these environmental schemes. This recent spate of wildfires in northern England comes at a critical time, as ground nesting birds are breeding and small reptiles are becoming active.

NSA Chief Executive Phil Stocker says: “It is surely time for a debate on this subject. This has become a regular problem that I can’t see going away. It’s time we took a real look at how we get the balance right in upland areas, creating resilient landscapes that are multi-functional and limit risks of damage.

“Too often we end up using a sledgehammer to crack a nut and the removal of grazing animals from many upland regions is one instance where farmers could be incentivised to manage stock in ways that rest protected areas from continual grazing, while improving land condition and wildfire management elsewhere, through appropriate grazing and better water control.

“Most experts would agree that upland areas thrive through creating ‘mosaics of habitat’ and this could be delivered by well managed grazing animals. This would benefit nature and reduce the devastating damage caused by difficult to control wildfires. We urgently need to re-examine the frequently conflicting outcomes of policies and schemes for farmers and upland managers. Schemes are designed to improve nature that instead place nature at increased risk of wildfires are not a good use of public money.”