National Trust Strangford Lough Wildlife Scheme

Background
In the early 1960s, the National Trust developed its Strangford Lough Wildlife Scheme in conjunction with the Wildfowlers' Association of Great Britain and Ireland (now the British Association for Shooting and Conservation, BASC). A covenant was drawn up between the two organisations to ensure that an appropriate balance was maintained between shooting and nature conservation. 

The scheme's principal focus has been the regulation of wildfowling and habitat management for nesting birds. The Trust acquired or leased from the Crown Estate Commissioners (and others), sporting rights to most of the Lough’s foreshore. This enabled a refuge/shooting permit scheme to be operated in order to regulate wildfowling and benefit other wildlife. 

Implementation
The scheme was jointly policed by National Trust wardens and voluntary wardens, many drawn from wildfowling clubs. The regulation of wildfowling was combined with practical habitat management for over-wintering and nesting birds, in which wildfowling club members were required to participate. By degrees a number of changes took place which required the Wildlife Scheme to be reassessed. 

The National Trust acquired a considerable area of foreshore, many islands and some coastal land around the Lough, adding to the areas under its control. Variations were made to refuges, with the creation of some new ones.

Review
In 1990 a major review of the effectiveness of the refuge system was carried out through the International Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Bureau. The present refuge system is based on the recommendations for the future operation of the scheme made under this review. The review stressed that refuges should be free from all forms of disturbance, not just shooting.