Potential Impacts of Gamebird Release

Between now and 2025, the Gamebird Research Project will inform our wider work considering longer term regulatory solutions around gamebird releases on and around protected nature conservation sites. The over-arching project is funded and led by Defra, with Natural England (NE) and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) providing expert leadership for individual pieces of research within the project. Natural England wishes to let a contract to deliver one such piece of research. The research focuses on the potential impacts to habitats and invertebrate species that may result from gamebird rearing and releasing. This can be broken down into three areas: • Potential eutrophication effects leading to changes in soil (and possibly air quality) conditions and fungal associations; • Potential impacts to ground vegetation and tree flora; and • Potential changes to invertebrate fauna as a result of floral changes or through direct impact. To address these research areas, the successful contractor will be expected to organise, manage and undertake field studies across a range of protected sites in England across two field seasons (2023 and 2024). The contractor will also be responsible for all analysis and reporting work, overseen by a Steering Group comprised of Natural England specialists (and, potentially, additional external specialists).