Deer cull exposes

Trust to scrutiny

THE public cull of deer on National Trust-owned farmland in Grasmere not only shook people who witnessed the shooting, it is also likely to lead to a shake-up of the organisation's policy on such activities.

Certainly the Trust has acted in a quick and proactive way to minimise the damage to its reputation from the incident.

An effusive apology from the new regional director and a clear-the-air meeting at the home of one of the residents who complained were both sincere and effective in their attempts to express regret.

The director has gone further in that she explained the need to kill the two stags in question, why the cull had become so important in the wake of foot-and-mouth and why it happened, unusually, near housing and in broad daylight.

She then admits a mistake of judgement and states quite categorically that the area around Grasmere is to become

"a non-shooting zone" as she puts it.

Disturbing as the actual shooting was in this case to those who witnessed it, the real problem for the Trust is the fact that it culls deer at all will come as a shock to a lot of its supporters, based as they are in inner cities and suburbs where the realities of country life do not have to be confronted every day.

The Trust depends for a significant proportion of its financial support on people who like the principle of maintaining the countryside, yet are ignorant of some of the details of how this is managed.

To the farmer and stalker involved in this case the shooting made sense.

But it is a complex world where running farms in a way that cares for the countryside has to rely on charitable support as well as the market place.

The fact that killing wild animals upsets the sensibilities of others has to be taken into account.

The incident will stoke the debate on how to control wildlife on Trust property.

Ironically, it may also be used by those who support hunting with hounds, who often point out that alternative methods can lead to more distress for the animals.

A special cause

THE speed with which the friends and family supporters of Sandgate special school have raised the money needed to build a new playground, or two, is testimony to what a good cause it is.

But that does not diminish the hard work put in by those who ran the appeal, nor the gratitude due to those who have organised events in its support.

Such a successful effort reflects well on the community as a whole.