PRO-HUNT campaigners in North Yorkshire have welcomed a new study which suggests farmers and landowners actively involved in field sports carry out much conservation work.

Scientists from the Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology at the University of Kent analysed the links between field sports such as hunting and conservation work.

In a report published in this month's Nature magazine, they state: "Analysis of aerial photographs showed that landowners who hunt and those who maintain game-bird shooting support more woodland cover than those not involved in field sports."

They concluded that, although all farmers have the same access to subsidy schemes designed to encourage new woodland and hedge planting, those actively supporting field sports were statistically far more likely to take part in such schemes.

John Cottingham, master of Derwent Hunt, which meets in southern Ryedale, said he backed the findings.

"We go out of our way to leave headlands and things as cover so that they are kept in a more natural state," he said. "The problem is that the people who are in charge of this hunting bill don't understand hunting and how the countryside works."

The report is critical of the Government's decision not to consider the role of landowners in voluntary conservation work when debating the future of fox hunting. They argue that banning hunting or game-bird shooting may mean more public money would have to be spent conserving natural habitats currently maintained by hunt supporters.

But Andrew Wasley, from the League Against Cruel Sports, said the research had been supported by CHK Charities, an organisation with known hunt supporters on its board of trustees.

Updated: 14:26 Wednesday, June 04, 2003