BASC: WHT celebrates 25 years with new film

Tuesday, 27 September 2011 3:59 PM

The 25th anniversary of the Wildlife Habitat Trust (WHT) has been marked with the release of a film on DVD and online.

The film shows footage of clubs which have benefited from WHT loans in Gloucestershire, Kent, the Norfolk Broads, north west Wales, Northern Ireland and the Solway Firth in Scotland.

The WHT was created by the UK's largest shooting organisation, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), at the request of wildfowling members. Its aim was to provide a fund to allow wildfowling clubs to buy land for shooting and conservation.

The WHT has made more than £1.16 million for loans and grants available over the last 25 years, helping wildfowling clubs to buy nearly 4,000 acres of land.

More than £60,000 has been given to projects in Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Belarus and Turkey to help manage important wetland habitats used by birds on migration to the UK.

Tim Russell, BASC's director of conservation and secretary of the WHT, said: "The work of the WHT remains just as important today as it was 25 years ago. Trustees give their time freely so as much money as possible goes directly into shooting and conservation. We look forward to helping even more clubs to purchase more land over the coming years."

Alan Jarrett, WHT trustee and chairman of the Kent Wildfowling and Conservation Association, said: "Over the last 25 years the WHT has been an important source of funds for wildfowling clubs and as such has helped to ensure that wildfowling throughout the UK continues to thrive. There is no doubt that without the work of the WHT wildfowling would be in a poorer state today. We are currently in a difficult and competitive land market, but the WHT stands ready to help protect the sport of wildfowling for future generations to enjoy."

To see the film and for more information visit the WHT website - www.wht.org.uk To contact the WHT, phone 01244 573014. ENDS

For more information please contact the BASC press office on 01244 573031

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• rural communities
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• wildlife