Podcast: Checking in with Luke Steele, Ban Bloodsports on Yorkshire’s Moors

Here at The War on Wildlife Project we were thinking that as us campaigners, conservationists and activists can’t get out to meet and see each other now, how about creating something to bring the conservation community together – everyone from individuals to grassroots organisations to larger charities – something that reminds us all that we’re still out there, still working, but that also shows the human side of things during this COVID-19 crisis.

An ongoing series of short podcast conversations we could think of as ‘check-ins’ (as in ‘we’re checking in to make sure we’re all okay’) – chats about how we’re getting on, how we’re adapting as campaigners, how being out in Nature is helping us cope.

Now, we appreciate that everyone has Facebook, Twitter, their own blogs even, but perhaps bringing everyone together like this in one place could really create an interesting set of viewpoints/tips/different thinking – and maybe even keep us from feeling alone…

So that’s the idea, and today I’m speaking with environmental campaigner Luke Steele, Spokesperson & Chair of Steering Committee at Ban Bloodsports on Yorkshire’s Moors a grassroots organisation campaigning to end grouse shooting on Yorkshire’s moors. We spoke shortly after widespread reports across the media of a grouse moor fire – set deliberately, remember – that had burned out of control and had led to calls for a ban on moor burnings for the rest of the so-called burn season and requests from the landowners’ lobby group, the Moorland Association, for estates to comply……

“…the grouse moor industry is like a house of cards…and what we’ve seen over the last few years is that this house of cards is starting to tumble…”

Checking-in…with Luke Steele, Ban Bloodsports on Yorkshire’s Moors
March 2020

Ban Bloodsports on Yorkshire’s Moors is online at stoptheshoot.com – and you can find links on their homepage to information and the latest news on the burnings, and action we can all take to help our wildlife stay safe in the uplands. They are also on Twitter and Facebook at stoptheshoot.

If you like the idea of these podcasts please do spread the word on
social media, and if you’d like to come and have a chat yourself email
me at charlie -AT- waronwildlife.co.uk

Thankyou very much for listening – and stay well.