Dr. Alex Copland:

With regard to roadside verge cutting happening every year, in some cases the verges might need to be cut several times a year, particularly where they are closed right in over the road. Near where I am located there are certainly roadside hedges that could probably do with being cut two or three times during the summer season alone to keep the vegetation back off the roads. I reiterate that where vegetation needs to be cut back to maintain access and health and safety on the roads, we are not opposed to that or objecting to that in any way, shape or form. It is already allowed in the Wildlife (Amendment) Act. We have said that by having a provision in the Heritage Bill to allow it happen in August means there is no clarity at the moment. On the management of hedges at roadsides, we have no problem at all with cutting during the closed season if that is needed to maintain the access and or health and safety. There is no problem there at all.

Burning did not drive bird declines. There have been a huge number of different impacts in the uplands such as overstocking damaging habitats and the drainage of land. While burning did not drive the decline, we are at a stage where there are only 120 pairs of curlew. We really need to do everything we possibly can to protect what we have left. We are looking at how to help the few individuals and the few sites that remain. By burning in these areas, those spaces will be removed for these species and their range becomes restricted.