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I think it's more that there's likely better land to put it on. In the UK for example there's arable land growing corn or cows or whatever, and there's scrub mo

I think it's more that there's likely better land to put it on. In the UK for example there's arable land growing corn or cows or whatever, and there's scrub moorland which is closed from the public and used to shoot grouse once a year. If you have 100 acres of solar to put on land, better to put it on the grouse moor.

epistasis 4y ago
But in what sense is it better to use grouse moor? That's habitat that is not currently touched much, and is a good reservoir for natural ecology, right? There's value in that.
- lazide 4y ago
  Presumably because the solar infrastructure gets in the way of the corn, but is unlikely to matter much for some grouse?
- ClumsyPilot 4y ago
  They put hundreds of birds into those fields every year so that hunters have something to shoot. I wouldn't call that untouched.
- hgomersall 4y ago
  It really is touched a lot. The landscape is basically grouse farming.
- desas 4y ago
  The grouse moor is basically a grouse farm. The moor is periodically burned to promote the right kinds of growth, 100s of grouse are released and nature like birds of prey somehow end up with a shorter lifespan.
  - epistasis 4y ago
    I thought they banned burns? In any case, I will cede the environmental case to local ecologists. But if it's already farming of grouse, that seems less intensive use than farming of sheep, as an outsider I would be interested in learning more as to why grouse moors are preferable to sheep land. It seems that grouse moors would be far more amenable to rewinding. But as I said, I only have my non-expert opinion!
    - desas 4y ago
      There's a partial ban that covers some of the most sensitive areas, probably 90+% of the grouse moor burning that happened before, still happens. You can see reports at https://twitter.com/wildmoorsuk https://twitter.com/wildmoorsuk. I agree with you and would rather not see grouse moor turned to solar farms. I'd love to see more moor rewilded, the work that Moors for the Future is doing is amazing. Grouse moors are very much touched and managed though. Gamekeepers seek to minimise foxes, stoats, raptors and trees.

epistasis 4y ago

But in what sense is it better to use grouse moor? That's habitat that is not currently touched much, and is a good reservoir for natural ecology, right? There's value in that.

lazide 4y ago
Presumably because the solar infrastructure gets in the way of the corn, but is unlikely to matter much for some grouse?
ClumsyPilot 4y ago
They put hundreds of birds into those fields every year so that hunters have something to shoot. I wouldn't call that untouched.
hgomersall 4y ago
It really is touched a lot. The landscape is basically grouse farming.
desas 4y ago
The grouse moor is basically a grouse farm. The moor is periodically burned to promote the right kinds of growth, 100s of grouse are released and nature like birds of prey somehow end up with a shorter lifespan.
- epistasis 4y ago
  I thought they banned burns? In any case, I will cede the environmental case to local ecologists. But if it's already farming of grouse, that seems less intensive use than farming of sheep, as an outsider I would be interested in learning more as to why grouse moors are preferable to sheep land. It seems that grouse moors would be far more amenable to rewinding. But as I said, I only have my non-expert opinion!
  - desas 4y ago
    There's a partial ban that covers some of the most sensitive areas, probably 90+% of the grouse moor burning that happened before, still happens. You can see reports at https://twitter.com/wildmoorsuk https://twitter.com/wildmoorsuk. I agree with you and would rather not see grouse moor turned to solar farms. I'd love to see more moor rewilded, the work that Moors for the Future is doing is amazing. Grouse moors are very much touched and managed though. Gamekeepers seek to minimise foxes, stoats, raptors and trees.