ARE YOU GAME?

Delving into the role of the gamekeeper

The countryside plays an important part in all our lives. No one knows this better than perhaps the gamekeeper, employed for centuries to oversee its general health: To sustain its growth, and conserve and preserve and manage its wildlife.

Astonishingly, if you times the amount of land in Britain’s nature reserves and National Parks by nine, then you get some idea of the amount of British countryside that is actually managed by gamekeepers.

Not only is the role of the gamekeeper vital for creating a home for wildlife upon which to thrive, but the conservation work carried out by gamekeepers as part of game and shoot management plays a crucial role in preserving the habitats and wildlife which are so important to Britain’s biodiversity.

Day to day tasks the gamekeeper undertakes may include beating, helping on the rearing field, habitat management or helping with vermin control.

Today’s gamekeepers often combine the role of gamekeeper with fishery or deer management, as well as mechanical engineering, agriculture, forestry and livestock rearing.

Read our post on What does it take to become a gamekeeper to find out more.