Shooting delivers economic growth and its value must not be underestimated by policymakers if the countryside is going to flourish, landowners’ leaders say.

The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) said a new report from Cambridge-based Public and Corporate Economic Consultants (PACEC) – The Value of Shooting – sets out how much the rural economy and environment relies on shooting.

According to the independent research, which the CLA supported as a partner organisation, shooting is worth £2billion a year Gross Value Added (GVA) to the UK economy and supports the equivalent of 74,000 full-time jobs.

The sector is worth £180million a year GVA to the economy in the East of England alone, it said, and supports the equivalent of 7,000 full-time jobs in the region. It also influences the management of around 820,000 hectares of land with at least 100,000 people in the region shooting live quarry, clay pigeons or targets.

The amount of conservation work provided by people who shoot in the eastern region amounts to the equivalent of 1,100 full-time conservation jobs.

CLA eastern regional director Nicola Currie said: “The figures in this comprehensive, independent report are striking. It is clear that shooting adds a vital stimulus to the rural economy.

“Many rural businesses found the trading environment challenging as a result of the 2008 financial crisis – shooting provides a shining example of how resilient the rural economy can be.

“More than that, shooting providers spend nearly £250million on protecting the landscape and are integral in ensuring the most effective management of the land.”

The Value of Shooting’s research examined the employment and monetary flows of shooting providers and participants to quantify the direct and indirect contribution of shooting to the UK. It measured the environmental effects of conservation and land management practices and looked at the social aspects of shooting. The data collected was based on a 12-month period between August 2012 and July 2013.

The research included 16,234 survey responses.