Help on offer to encourage threatened bird (From Gazette & Herald)

Help on offer to encourage threatened bird

A PARTIDGE and pint evening for farmers, estate owners and managers takes place at the Stone Trough Inn, Whitwell-on-the-Hill, next Tuesday.

The Game Conservancy Trust has organised the seminar for those who are interested in managing their land for wild grey partridges - one of Britain's rapidly declining farmland birds.

The event will focus on the special management requirements of grey partridges, including many of the successful techniques developed by The Game Conservancy Trust to enhance the land for grey partridges.

Farmers are now being paid to create special habitats for farmland birds such as the grey partridge and Trust advisors will be on hand to discuss the new funding options available through the Government's new agri-environment schemes.

Mike McKendry, the Trust's north of England advisor is optimistic about the future for grey partridges in northern England.

He said: "Some areas in north and east Yorkshire could potentially hold a very high number of grey partridges.

"We are therefore keen to get as many people to our seminar as possible so that they can get involved in our campaign to save this iconic bird."

Tickets to attend the 'Partridge and a Pint Evening' cost £10 per person and include a light buffet and a pint.

To book, please contact Lynda Ferguson at The Game Conservancy Trust, telephone (01425) 652381, email lferguson@gct.org.uk, www.gct.org.uk.

The evening is kindly sponsored by Advanta and Grainfarmers UAP.

Updated: 16:10 Wednesday, February 15, 2006