Mapping the areas of moorland that are actively managed for grouse and the intensity of current management regimes. Part 3 – Research to assess socioeconomic and biodiversity impacts of driven grouse moors and to understand the rights of gamekeepers.

The analysis presented in this report updates and enhances that by Matthews et al. (2018) in Phase 1 of this project, where geographical information system and remote sensing methods were used to identify areas of driven grouse moors and assess their potential for alternative land uses. As part of the Phase 1 analysis, assessments were also made of the intensity of moorland management. An assessment of grouse butt density (butts per km2) was made for the first time, but the assessment of strip burning of heather relied on data from 2005-11. This meant that the Phase 1 analysis could provide no insights into changes in strip burning of heather that have occurred in the last decade. The Phase 2 analysis has been conducted to address this limitation by providing updated (to June 2018) and higher resolution mapping of strip burning. The characterisation of grouse butt density has also been enhanced by making an improved assessment of the areas of rough grazing that are close to the locations of grouse butts.