The importance of grouse shooting to the Angus Glens has been highlighted in a new report revealing the social and economic contribution of moorland estates to local communities.
Angus and the Monadhliaths, to the west of the Cairngorms, were the focus of a study completed by Scotland’s Rural College and the University of the Highlands and Islands’ Centre for Mountain Studies at Perth College.
Between the two areas more than 25 moorland estates covering more than 100,000 hectares were surveyed, with the findings revealed in Edinburgh yesterday.
The event also featured the release of a new feature film, The Untold Story: Driven Grouse Shooting, made by Angus gamekeepers to illustrate grouse shooting’s contribution to the area.
The study revealed total revenue from all sporting activities in the Angus Glens recorded last year was £2.636 million £2.025m of which related to grouse.
Speaking at the launch, Fergus Ewing, minister for business, energy and tourism, said: “The Scottish Government is committed to maximising tourism growth and to supporting field sports.
“Scotland offers the complete package of sport, a warm welcome, good food and drink and unrivalled landscapes, and shooting makes a valuable contribution to the rural economy, including in the winter months.”
Dr Ros Bryce from the Centre of Mountain Studies said: “The research broadly demonstrated a high level of support for grouse shooting.
“Our report identified specific opportunities for enhancing estate/ community engagement and awareness-raising around sporting land management, including estates engaging with local schools through visits by gamekeepers and to estates, establishing demonstration days, increased estate engagement with local community councils and increased emphasis on recruitment of beaters and loaders from local communities.”
The report and film were released as part of The Gift of Grouse a yearlong campaign to highlight the wide range of benefits grouse shooting and moorland management delivers.
In Angus, 35% of those surveyed reported either a direct or indirect dependence on the grouse shooting industry for their livelihoods.
Scottish Moorland Group chairman Andrew Hopetoun said: “The grouse shooting industry supports local businesses in a number of ways including spending by estates or shooting parties in the local garages, vehicle dealerships, butchers, shops, restaurants and hotels.”
The Untold Story: Driven Grouse Shooting was produced by the Angus Glens Moorland Group to demonstrate the direct link between shooting and the prosperity of local communities and families.