Members say they walked across part of the 6,000-acre estate, between Stanage Edge and the A57, and found "almost no insect life, few birds and no grouse".
They claim it has been "trashed" by the duke, "who sets it on fire - sending smoke into people’s homes, worsening flood risk downstream and releasing carbon that adds to the climate crisis."
They also state it has been “scoured of wildlife by gamekeepers who kill anything that could affect gamebird numbers.”
The report goes on to say that in October 2023 deliberate fires on the moor blanketed Sheffield in smoke and caused a city-wide pollution incident. Heather is burnt to encourage the growth of green shoots that grouse can feed on.
It also says Moscar has received an average annual subsidy of £175,400 since 2012 under a Natural England stewardship scheme.
The Duke declined an invitation to comment.
Lord Bonkers is, of course, chuckling at this story. I get the impression he finds grouse shooting rather ungentlemanly:
"Shoot at a Rutland partridge and it will take cover and fire back. Now that's what I call sport!"
Anyway, there is more about Reclaim Our Moors online.
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