Monitor access to a wildlife management area

This standard is about monitoring access to a wildlife management area. It relates to the work activities that you undertake  when dealing with visitors while controlling access to a wildlife management area.

This standard is aimed at those who work in game conservation on either a full- or part-time basis, and can be applied to any wildlife management area.

To meet this standard you will be able to:

• assist in the control of access to a wildlife management area
• help others to deal with incidents in a wildlife management area
• deal courteously with visitors to the wildlife management area

For you to fully understand the content of the standard, and the activities it describes, it is important that you are able to understand the terms used within the standard. See Glossary for some definitions that should help you with this:

1. carry out work safely in line with relevant health and safety requirements
2. maintain all notices and devices used to manage access to the wildlife management area in a serviceable condition
3. deal courteously with visitors, guests and the general public in the wildlife management area
4. communicate with colleagues and maintain affective team work
5. maintain vigilance during all work activities for signs that indicate poaching activity
6. monitor and interpret signs that indicate unauthorised access
7. identify any suspected incident and observe intruders to determine their motive for intrusion
8. complete surveillance activities according to specified organisational requirements
9. take action appropriate to the nature of the incident that does not put yourself at risk
10. provide support to those dealing with the incident in a courteous, calm, and firm manner
11. record and report details of all incidents accurately to the appropriate person, this could include verbal or written

1. the relevant health and safety requirements in relation to yourself, your colleagues, and the public associated with the monitoring of access, including lone working
2. the value of good public relations for the wildlife management area
3. the relevant laws concerned with access, trespass and poaching
4. how to recognise signs that indicate poaching and unauthorised access
5. the methods employed by poachers and the signs that indicate their use
6. the effects of poaching on game populations and shooting activities
7. the measures that can be used to control access and their advantages and disadvantages
8. the types of surveillance activities and when they are best undertaken
9. how to deal with incidents including the reasons for remaining calm and courteous but firm
10. how to deal with aggressive and abusive behaviour
11. how distance and terrain may affect the methods used to deal with incidents
12. the importance of assessing the actions taken when dealing with any poaching or unauthorised access
13. why it is important to accurately record and report to the appropriate person all suspected incidents of unauthorised activity

Know how to deal with the following:

• unauthorised activity
• suspected poaching
• poaching
• visitors, guests and the general public

Game – Legal game quarry species including deer

Wildlife management area – Any area of land used for the provision of game-shooting activities

Access – Entry to land, facilities or buildings forming part of the sporting estate

Poaching – The unauthorised removal of game from the wild

General public could include – cyclists, walkers, dog walkers, wild campers (Scotland), tourists