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<strong>Sustainable</strong> <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Management</strong><br />

A <strong>Case</strong> <strong>Study</strong> <strong>Report</strong> <strong>for</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> <strong>Deer</strong> Commission <strong>for</strong> Scotland<br />

ESTATE<br />

Key<br />

Findings<br />

DMG<br />

MONITOR<br />

R Rose March 2010


Introduction<br />

Wild deer are widespread throughout Scotland,<br />

present in woodlands, open hill and increasingly on<br />

<strong>the</strong> edges of urban areas affecting land managers and<br />

society in many different ways with associated costs<br />

and benefits.<br />

<strong>Deer</strong> management in Scotland has been primarily<br />

influenced by <strong>the</strong> fact that, in <strong>the</strong> wild, deer belong<br />

to no one until killed or captured and <strong>the</strong>y can freely<br />

cross boundaries between different land ownerships<br />

which may have differing land management<br />

objectives.<br />

As a result a collaborative approach to deer<br />

management has been developed through <strong>the</strong><br />

<strong>for</strong>mation of voluntary <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Groups<br />

(DMGs) which are run by representatives of <strong>the</strong><br />

landholdings in <strong>the</strong> area to manage <strong>the</strong> local deer<br />

population as a common resource (Fig 1 – map of<br />

DMG coverage).<br />

DMG’s cover most of <strong>the</strong> red deer range in <strong>the</strong><br />

uplands but little of <strong>the</strong> area of <strong>the</strong> lowlands where<br />

roe deer predominate. These arrangements have<br />

been effective in some areas where <strong>the</strong>re are similar<br />

private objectives amongst land managers. However,<br />

<strong>the</strong>re is general agreement that in <strong>the</strong>ir current <strong>for</strong>m<br />

<strong>the</strong>y struggle to address or resolve conflicting private<br />

objectives or to deliver multiple public benefits.<br />

Partly in response to this, <strong>the</strong> <strong>Deer</strong> Commission<br />

<strong>for</strong> Scotland (DCS) has to focus resources on<br />

specific geographical locations where deer are<br />

having a detrimental impact on <strong>the</strong> natural heritage,<br />

agriculture or public safety. This essentially reactive<br />

approach to deer management problems is expensive<br />

and is regarded as a temporary stop-gap in a longerterm<br />

proactive approach to sustainable deer<br />

management (SDM).<br />

In order to in<strong>for</strong>m a more proactive approach, <strong>the</strong><br />

<strong>Sustainable</strong> <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Project, governed by<br />

a Steering Group with representation from Forestry<br />

Commission Scotland (FCS), Scottish Natural<br />

Heritage (SNH), DCS and <strong>the</strong> Association of <strong>Deer</strong><br />

DMGs<br />

<strong>Case</strong> <strong>Study</strong><br />

areas<br />

Fig.1. <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Group map<br />

<strong>Management</strong> Groups (ADMG), has been working<br />

over <strong>the</strong> last 20 months to better understand what<br />

local and national <strong>Sustainable</strong> <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Management</strong><br />

(SDM) looks like.<br />

W Su<strong>the</strong>rland E Su<strong>the</strong>rland<br />

Through one-to-one meetings with over 90<br />

landowners, factors, stalkers, non-government<br />

organisations (NGOs) and community councillors <strong>the</strong><br />

project has sought to:<br />

S Perthshire<br />

Borders<br />

♦♦<br />

improve understanding of what SDM is and<br />

identify aspects that can be quantified,<br />

♦♦<br />

articulate both <strong>the</strong> private and public interest<br />

delivered through SDM,<br />

♦♦<br />

understand and improve <strong>the</strong> role of DMGs<br />

and land managers in delivering SDM and <strong>the</strong><br />

decision-making processes behind delivery,<br />

♦♦<br />

consider appropriate management mechanisms<br />

and support tools to underpin delivery of SDM.<br />

2 <strong>Sustainable</strong> <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Management</strong> • 24.06.10 © DCS 2010 • www.dcs.gov.uk


The participants were chosen to include views from<br />

all over Scotland, ranging from <strong>the</strong> traditional open<br />

hill deer <strong>for</strong>est of <strong>the</strong> highlands, grouse moors and<br />

<strong>for</strong>ests to <strong>the</strong> lowlands near cities (see fig.1).<br />

2. Key Findings<br />

Evaluating <strong>Sustainable</strong> <strong>Deer</strong><br />

management<br />

To fully understand what sustainable deer<br />

management is and what it looks like, a range of<br />

criteria were developed and identified <strong>for</strong> participants<br />

to consider. These ranged across <strong>the</strong> 3 pillars of<br />

sustainability – environmental criteria, economic<br />

criteria and social criteria and also included some<br />

cross cutting <strong>the</strong>mes considered essential <strong>for</strong> delivery<br />

(refer to annex on p.12 <strong>for</strong> list of criteria used).<br />

Participants were asked to consider those criteria<br />

which best described what <strong>the</strong>y considered to be<br />

<strong>the</strong> key deer management objectives needed to make<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir land management sustainable and describe how<br />

<strong>the</strong>y measure if <strong>the</strong>se are being achieved or not.<br />

The results have been analysed, ranked and<br />

evaluated at <strong>the</strong> local and national scale. The results<br />

demonstrate a range of relative importance of <strong>the</strong><br />

criteria identified <strong>for</strong> each <strong>Case</strong> <strong>Study</strong> area which<br />

helps illustrate <strong>the</strong> way deer are regarded <strong>for</strong> a given<br />

locality. Comparisons of <strong>the</strong> relative importance<br />

of criteria between sites allows consideration and<br />

evaluation of what SDM could look like on both a<br />

local and national scale.<br />

For instance, <strong>the</strong> <strong>for</strong>estry sector in case study no.1<br />

is very focused on a few key economic, technical and<br />

environmental criteria to achieve SDM and attaches<br />

less importance to <strong>the</strong> social elements.<br />

To consider <strong>the</strong> key elements of SDM on a national<br />

scale, <strong>the</strong>re were five criteria which consistently<br />

came top of <strong>the</strong> list across all <strong>the</strong> case studies. (see<br />

fig.2.)<br />

♦ ♦ Safeguard Welfare of all deer species.<br />

Welfare issues ranged from deer health<br />

through to minimising suffering associated<br />

with road traffic accidents (RTAs), poaching<br />

etc. and <strong>the</strong> relative importance of each varied<br />

depending on locale<br />

♦♦<br />

Conserve/Enhance Biodiversity. The<br />

importance of conserving biodiversity was a<br />

given, particularly within <strong>the</strong> semi-natural and<br />

more extensively managed landscapes.<br />

♦♦<br />

Maintain balanced integration between<br />

agriculture, <strong>for</strong>estry & natural heritage.<br />

<strong>Deer</strong> management was always considered<br />

in <strong>the</strong> context of <strong>the</strong> main land uses of <strong>the</strong><br />

landholding with <strong>the</strong> aim of achieving maximum<br />

net benefit across all <strong>the</strong> different parts.<br />

♦♦<br />

Minimise costs associated with Wild <strong>Deer</strong>.<br />

Costs were associated with damage to crops/<br />

habitat, employing professional deer managers,<br />

developing/maintaining infrastructure<br />

♦♦<br />

<strong>Deer</strong> management is proactive and to<br />

an industry recognised standard (Best<br />

Practice).<br />

However, in analysing a limited number of case<br />

studies in this way, we may fail to pick up on<br />

nationally important criteria which are site specific<br />

e.g Securing favourable condition of designated sites<br />

was always deemed essential if an SSSI or similar was<br />

on a landholding but o<strong>the</strong>rwise was considered less<br />

important.<br />

Private and Public Benefit<br />

Associated with <strong>Sustainable</strong> <strong>Deer</strong><br />

management<br />

The <strong>Case</strong> Studies enabled comparison of SDM in<br />

differing local contexts and circumstances which<br />

allowed comparisons between areas where deer<br />

management is considered <strong>the</strong> main land use<br />

as opposed to areas where deer are managed<br />

to minimise negative impacts on o<strong>the</strong>r land use<br />

objectives.<br />

3 <strong>Sustainable</strong> <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Management</strong> • 24.06.10 © DCS 2010 • www.dcs.gov.uk


fig.2. Key elements of SDM<br />

♦♦<br />

<strong>Deer</strong> management<br />

is proactive<br />

♦ ♦ Safeguard deer<br />

welfare<br />

♦♦<br />

Conserve/enhance<br />

biodiversity<br />

♦♦<br />

Maintain balanced integration<br />

between agriculture, <strong>for</strong>estry<br />

and natual heritage<br />

♦♦<br />

Minimise costs associated<br />

with deer management<br />

In all cases <strong>the</strong>re was a blend of economic,<br />

recreational and aes<strong>the</strong>tic benefit associated with<br />

delivery of SDM, <strong>the</strong> relative value of each, differing<br />

between sites and to a lesser extent between<br />

individuals within each site. (see fig.3.)<br />

Most of <strong>the</strong> public funding which currently<br />

supports deer management is ei<strong>the</strong>r associated<br />

with improving <strong>the</strong> condition of designated sites or<br />

paid to support woodland establishment. Over <strong>the</strong><br />

remainder of Scotland, any public benefit currently<br />

associated with deer and <strong>the</strong>ir management is a<br />

by-product of private sector land management<br />

aspirations. Evidence from <strong>the</strong> <strong>Case</strong> Studies<br />

demonstrates that nurturing <strong>the</strong> SDM process will<br />

ensure continued and enhanced contributions to <strong>the</strong><br />

outcomes of a broad spectrum of National Strategies<br />

and provide additional site-specific public benefits.<br />

Delivering SDM through<br />

Collaboration<br />

There is general agreement from <strong>the</strong> majority of<br />

participants that DMGs are a good concept, which<br />

allow co-ordination and flow of relevant in<strong>for</strong>mation<br />

and discussion on how to manage a common<br />

land resource - but <strong>the</strong>y could do more - and<br />

participants recognised that <strong>the</strong> voluntary system<br />

has its limitations. For instance, it can be difficult to<br />

achieve consensus amongst members, DMG’s are<br />

not regarded as decision-making bodies and are<br />

weakened by non-attendance of some land managers.<br />

To support sustainable deer management, DMGs<br />

have to carry out certain functions and take on<br />

specific roles which enable members to manage <strong>the</strong><br />

shared resource of deer and <strong>the</strong> landscape on which<br />

<strong>the</strong>y reside. After a wide ranging literature review on<br />

this subject, participants were asked to consider a list<br />

of 16 key roles of a DMG. Interviewees were asked<br />

to record which <strong>the</strong>y regarded as <strong>the</strong> most important<br />

<strong>for</strong> attaining sustainable management of <strong>the</strong> deer<br />

resource in <strong>the</strong>ir area, and also which functions <strong>the</strong>y<br />

did not consider essential, but that would lead to<br />

additional benefit if attained. (see fig.4).<br />

4 <strong>Sustainable</strong> <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Management</strong> • 24.06.10 © DCS 2010 • www.dcs.gov.uk


fig.3. The private and public<br />

benefits of SDM<br />

key:<br />

A Ensure skills,<br />

knowledge and<br />

training development<br />

to manage deer<br />

B Native deer are<br />

recognised as an<br />

iconic species and an<br />

asset<br />

C Conserve/enhance<br />

biodiversity<br />

D Guided by a <strong>Deer</strong><br />

<strong>Management</strong><br />

Plan and Policy<br />

Document<br />

E <strong>Deer</strong> management<br />

is proactive and to a<br />

industry recognised<br />

standard (BP)<br />

F Develop <strong>the</strong> market<br />

and supply chain <strong>for</strong><br />

venison<br />

G Secure favourable<br />

condition of<br />

designated sites<br />

H Safeguard welfare of<br />

all deer species<br />

I Provide security <strong>for</strong><br />

jobs of good quality<br />

J Maintain balanced<br />

age structure across<br />

<strong>the</strong> age profile<br />

K Minimise costs<br />

associated with wild<br />

deer<br />

H<br />

G<br />

I<br />

F<br />

community<br />

L Maintain balanced<br />

integration between<br />

agriculture, <strong>for</strong>estry<br />

& natural heritage<br />

M Ensure estate<br />

viability<br />

N <strong>Deer</strong> management<br />

assists achievement<br />

of multiple land<br />

management<br />

objectives<br />

O Minimise negative<br />

impacts of deer in/<br />

around communities<br />

P Contribute to<br />

safe and healthy<br />

environment <strong>for</strong><br />

people<br />

J<br />

82<br />

64 64 100<br />

73<br />

73<br />

91<br />

73 91<br />

82<br />

D<br />

E<br />

N<br />

M<br />

C<br />

A<br />

F<br />

L<br />

46<br />

42<br />

58<br />

B<br />

C<br />

A<br />

42 33<br />

67<br />

83<br />

H<br />

92<br />

J<br />

D<br />

88<br />

K<br />

88<br />

F<br />

P<br />

O<br />

53 53<br />

66<br />

66<br />

66<br />

73<br />

B<br />

E<br />

D<br />

<strong>for</strong>estry<br />

93<br />

80<br />

A<br />

87<br />

87<br />

E<br />

lowland<br />

colour key:<br />

H<br />

L<br />

common to all<br />

common to some<br />

uncommon<br />

These pie charts<br />

illustrate <strong>the</strong> top<br />

10 ranked benefits<br />

of SDM listed by<br />

participants in 3 case<br />

studies<br />

3. CONCLUSIONS<br />

Evaluating <strong>Sustainable</strong> <strong>Deer</strong> management<br />

Despite <strong>the</strong> fact that deer management objectives<br />

and techniques change with factors like geology,<br />

geography, land use, estate size, and resident deer<br />

species, five objectives consistently came top of <strong>the</strong><br />

list across all of <strong>the</strong> case studies.<br />

This suggests that <strong>the</strong>re is wide ranging support<br />

across <strong>the</strong> Scottish deer industry <strong>for</strong> “strong”<br />

sustainable development where <strong>the</strong> limitations of<br />

land are identified, and understood. Consequently<br />

<strong>the</strong>re is broad agreement between both <strong>the</strong> private<br />

sector and government on <strong>the</strong> key environmental and<br />

economic objectives associated with SDM.<br />

♦ ♦ Safeguard deer welfare<br />

♦♦<br />

Conserve/enhance biodiveristy<br />

♦♦<br />

Maintain balanced integration between<br />

agriculture, <strong>for</strong>estry and natural heritage<br />

♦♦<br />

Minmise costs associated with deer<br />

management.<br />

These are delivered and based on <strong>the</strong> premise that<br />

any deer management activity should be carried out<br />

proactively and to an industry recognised standard<br />

(Best Practice). These sentiments are reflected in <strong>the</strong><br />

Wild <strong>Deer</strong>: A National Approach (2008).<br />

However, <strong>the</strong>re is evidence to suggest that<br />

although <strong>the</strong> private sector has regard <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> social<br />

benefits which are relevant <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir locality, <strong>the</strong>y<br />

tend not to attach as much importance to <strong>the</strong>m as<br />

<strong>the</strong> costs attached to <strong>the</strong>ir achievement outweighs<br />

any private benefit.<br />

To deliver on both a local and a national scale and<br />

in <strong>the</strong> long-term, <strong>the</strong> objectives of SDM are only one<br />

part of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Sustainable</strong> <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Management</strong> process.<br />

5 <strong>Sustainable</strong> <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Management</strong> • 24.06.10 © DCS 2010 • www.dcs.gov.uk


fig.4. Essential roles of a DMG<br />

monitor<br />

& adapt<br />

Use standard monitoring<br />

methods<br />

Provide regular reports to<br />

DMG members<br />

induce<br />

compliance<br />

Agree what in<strong>for</strong>mation<br />

is needed to manage <strong>the</strong><br />

deer sustainably<br />

capacity building<br />

Agree DMG boundary<br />

DMG to have a clear set of<br />

objectives<br />

Use local in<strong>for</strong>mation<br />

Reflect local constraints &<br />

opportunities<br />

develop consensus<br />

This process requires an ability <strong>for</strong> all land mangers<br />

to adapt to changing circumstances (environmental,<br />

economic and social) through objective monitoring<br />

and if required adopt a change of management<br />

prescriptions.<br />

Since deer can move freely across land ownership<br />

boundaries, it is more appropriate <strong>for</strong> SDM to be<br />

measured at a suitably large spatial scale where<br />

deer and <strong>the</strong> landscape within which <strong>the</strong>y exist can<br />

be considered to be a shared resource. Delivery of<br />

SDM will require land managers, DMGs and Agencies<br />

to agree <strong>the</strong> scale, identify <strong>the</strong>ir particular role in<br />

<strong>the</strong> process and recognise that <strong>the</strong> current lack of<br />

objective monitoring of deer impacts on habitats or<br />

crops, habitat condition or business viability at <strong>the</strong><br />

individual land unit level has a significant detrimental<br />

knock on effect on this process. (see fig.5).<br />

Ideally <strong>the</strong> process would enable land managers<br />

to pursue land use objectives into <strong>the</strong> long-term<br />

with <strong>the</strong> minimum of bureaucracy by satisfying<br />

government agencies that public benefit is<br />

secured. Development of a code of sustainable<br />

deer management, which identifies and agrees <strong>the</strong><br />

minimum standards <strong>for</strong> a range of public benefits,<br />

will assist this process. However until such times<br />

as agreed standards are developed and assigned<br />

to differing habitats and landscapes and <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r<br />

associated public benefits identified in this report, it<br />

will be difficult to measure if SDM is being delivered<br />

in any given location.<br />

6 <strong>Sustainable</strong> <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Management</strong> • 24.06.10 © DCS 2010 • www.dcs.gov.uk


fig.5. The SDM Process<br />

♦ ♦ Safeguard <strong>Deer</strong> Welfare<br />

♦♦<br />

Conserve/Enhance Biodiveristy<br />

♦♦<br />

Maintain balanced integration between<br />

agriculture, <strong>for</strong>estry and natual heritage<br />

♦♦<br />

Minimise costs associated with <strong>Deer</strong><br />

management<br />

LEARN<br />

participate<br />

YES<br />

pass on<br />

in<strong>for</strong>mation<br />

to DMG<br />

YES<br />

measure if<br />

objectives are<br />

being achieved<br />

YES/NO<br />

NO<br />

LEARN<br />

&<br />

ADAPT<br />

NO<br />

measure<br />

if DMG<br />

objectives are<br />

being achieved<br />

YES<br />

NO<br />

co-operate<br />

with DMG<br />

membership<br />

Private and Public Benefit<br />

Associated with <strong>Sustainable</strong> <strong>Deer</strong><br />

management<br />

Whilst it is relatively easy to present broad-brush<br />

statements describing <strong>the</strong> private and public benefits<br />

associated with SDM in each <strong>Case</strong> <strong>Study</strong> area we<br />

are currently unable to take this any fur<strong>the</strong>r and<br />

complete any meaningful detailed cost-benefit<br />

analysis. In order to do this we would need to<br />

allocate monetary values to <strong>the</strong> benefits associated<br />

with <strong>the</strong> cultural and environmental benefits, such<br />

as ecosystem services. This would require <strong>the</strong><br />

development of suitable indicators with allocated<br />

standards to measure against. Such in<strong>for</strong>mation is<br />

important <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> SDM decision-making process to<br />

enable amongst o<strong>the</strong>r things:<br />

♦♦<br />

The development of a fiscal incentive scheme<br />

which is both attractive to <strong>the</strong> private sector<br />

and identifies <strong>the</strong> additional public benefits<br />

(environmental, economic, social) which are<br />

being bought by <strong>the</strong> public purse.<br />

♦♦<br />

A credible calculation of <strong>the</strong> trade-offs<br />

associated with environmental and socioeconomic<br />

impacts of deer management.<br />

♦♦<br />

Adaptive management by deer managers<br />

through <strong>the</strong> development and use of support<br />

tools which allows <strong>the</strong> integration of biological,<br />

social, economic and institutional in<strong>for</strong>mation.<br />

<strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Groups<br />

If voluntary DMGs are to remain <strong>the</strong> main institution<br />

to facilitate and deliver SDM in Scotland, <strong>the</strong>y need<br />

to adopt <strong>the</strong> characteristics and principles which<br />

are generally deemed important <strong>for</strong> long-term<br />

7 <strong>Sustainable</strong> <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Management</strong> • 24.06.10 © DCS 2010 • www.dcs.gov.uk


sustainable governance of natural resources as<br />

suggested by Dietz, Ostrom & Stern (2003)*:<br />

to:<br />

♦♦<br />

Simple and cost effective monitoring and<br />

reporting on <strong>the</strong> resource and use of <strong>the</strong><br />

resource by members.<br />

♦ ♦ Enabling members to maintain frequent face<br />

to face communications thus increasing <strong>the</strong><br />

potential to trust and lowering <strong>the</strong> cost of<br />

compliance monitoring.<br />

♦ ♦ Nurturing members support <strong>for</strong> compliance.<br />

♦ ♦ Providing timely and objective in<strong>for</strong>mation that<br />

explains areas of uncertainty and tradeoffs.<br />

♦ ♦ Dealing with conflict using a participatory<br />

process.<br />

♦ ♦ Providing a support infrastructure <strong>for</strong><br />

members.<br />

♦ ♦ Support moderate rates of change in <strong>the</strong><br />

resource in response to internal and external<br />

changing circumstance.<br />

This process would enable <strong>the</strong> DMG membership<br />

♦♦<br />

Ga<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong>ir own in<strong>for</strong>mation on <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

particular deer population’s welfare, landscape/<br />

habitat/crop condition, general business<br />

viability, wider community considerations and<br />

use this to agree <strong>the</strong> best way <strong>for</strong>ward to<br />

achieve <strong>the</strong> greatest benefit <strong>for</strong> all concerned.<br />

♦♦<br />

Adapt to changing environmental, economic<br />

and social circumstances in a timely way<br />

through objective monitoring.<br />

Crucially <strong>the</strong> voluntary approach would also require<br />

a process that enabled it to deal effectively with<br />

disagreements between members and deal with<br />

those whose actions may significantly impact <strong>the</strong><br />

DMG’s ability to achieve statutory obligations and <strong>the</strong><br />

greatest benefits, but who do not actively engage/<br />

co-operate with <strong>the</strong> DMG membership.<br />

The responses from <strong>the</strong> <strong>Case</strong> Studies provide<br />

a current snapshot of land managers views on <strong>the</strong><br />

various stages of <strong>the</strong> above process and displays:<br />

1. Strong support <strong>for</strong>:<br />

♦♦<br />

Agreeing what in<strong>for</strong>mation is needed to<br />

sustainably manage <strong>the</strong> shared resource<br />

♦♦<br />

Clearly defined DMG boundaries<br />

♦♦<br />

Clear objectives which are established using<br />

local in<strong>for</strong>mation and reflect local constraints<br />

and opportunities<br />

♦♦<br />

Measuring (deer welfare, habitat, crop damage,<br />

business viability) and reporting back to <strong>the</strong><br />

DMG membership on a regular basis.<br />

2. Agreement that added value could be derived<br />

from:<br />

♦♦<br />

Agreeing membership roles to supply <strong>the</strong><br />

required in<strong>for</strong>mation to <strong>the</strong> DMG<br />

♦♦<br />

Sourcing training/equipment if required<br />

♦♦<br />

Utilising NGOs & Agencies in in<strong>for</strong>mation<br />

ga<strong>the</strong>ring where applicable<br />

♦♦<br />

Working out how to best take account of <strong>the</strong><br />

views of <strong>the</strong> wider community.<br />

♦♦<br />

Majority of members agreeing on objectives<br />

♦♦<br />

Providing appropriate conditions to resolve<br />

disagreements<br />

♦♦<br />

Adapting to changing circumstances<br />

The one principle <strong>for</strong> which <strong>the</strong>re was little<br />

support or perceived value was that of developing<br />

consequences <strong>for</strong> non-compliance of DMG<br />

objectives/rules. (see fig. 6).<br />

Supporting Delivery - Scottish<br />

Rural Development Programme<br />

At present, <strong>the</strong> Scottish Rural Development<br />

Programme (SRDP) is <strong>the</strong> only source of public<br />

funding to support deer management related<br />

activities. Despite encouragement, <strong>the</strong> deer industry<br />

has been slow to take advantage of <strong>the</strong> resources<br />

that are now available and <strong>the</strong> <strong>Case</strong> Studies provides<br />

a partial insight as to why this is <strong>the</strong> case.<br />

O<strong>the</strong>r than land managers seeking to expand and<br />

establish woodlands on land with nature conservation<br />

designations, <strong>the</strong>re is little take-up by land managers<br />

<strong>for</strong> deer management purposes.<br />

Evidence from <strong>the</strong> case studies suggests <strong>the</strong> main<br />

reasons <strong>for</strong> this include:<br />

*Dietz T., Ostrom E. & Stern P. C. (2003). The Struggle to<br />

Govern <strong>the</strong> Commons. Science, New Series, 302907-1913<br />

8 <strong>Sustainable</strong> <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Management</strong> • 24.06.10 © DCS 2010 • www.dcs.gov.uk


fig.6. Essential roles of a DMG<br />

monitor<br />

& adapt<br />

Standard monitoring methods<br />

Adapt to circumstances<br />

Provide regular reports<br />

induce<br />

Provide disagreement<br />

resolution<br />

Agree procedures <strong>for</strong><br />

non-compliance<br />

compliance<br />

Participant priority key:<br />

essential functions<br />

functions with potential added value<br />

functions with little support<br />

Agree info needs<br />

Agree membership roles<br />

Source training<br />

Utilise agencies<br />

capacity building<br />

Agree DMG boundary<br />

Clear objectives<br />

Democratic setting of objectives<br />

Use local in<strong>for</strong>mation<br />

Reflect local constraints<br />

Objectives acceptable to all<br />

Majority agreement of objectives<br />

develop consensus<br />

♦♦<br />

a lack of “deer specific” options available <strong>for</strong><br />

land managers.<br />

♦♦<br />

<strong>the</strong> current payment rates are not attractive<br />

enough to justify employing external expertise.<br />

♦♦<br />

<strong>the</strong> application process is complex and<br />

competitive.<br />

♦♦<br />

<strong>the</strong> added complexity when sheep are also<br />

present on <strong>the</strong> ground: problems arise in <strong>the</strong><br />

application process when trying to make a<br />

collaborative application.<br />

Participants generally agreed that SRDP funding<br />

could usefully support DMGs and consideration<br />

should be given to:<br />

♦♦<br />

Collaborative applications <strong>for</strong> multiple<br />

properties,<br />

♦♦<br />

Provision of training <strong>for</strong> stalkers and land<br />

managers (e.g. habitat monitoring),<br />

♦♦<br />

Provision of additional man-power <strong>for</strong> deer<br />

counting and stalking,<br />

♦♦<br />

Supporting independent counts.<br />

In negotiating changes to SRDP it is clear that any<br />

measures must demonstrate <strong>the</strong> delivery of additional<br />

tangible public benefits over and above that which<br />

might be expected as a legal duty/responsibility.<br />

However, <strong>the</strong>re is a cultural hurdle to be<br />

overcome in making public funding more widely<br />

available to deer managers in exchange <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

delivery of public benefits; to make this acceptable to<br />

both <strong>the</strong>m and <strong>the</strong> public.<br />

9 <strong>Sustainable</strong> <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Management</strong> • 24.06.10 © DCS 2010 • www.dcs.gov.uk


4. NEXT STEPS<br />

Since SDM has <strong>the</strong> potential to positively contribute<br />

to <strong>the</strong> outcomes of a broad spectrum of National<br />

Strategies and provide additional site-specific public<br />

benefits it would be appropriate <strong>for</strong> government to<br />

consider options <strong>for</strong> supporting <strong>the</strong> process.<br />

It would be appropriate <strong>for</strong> government to<br />

consider options <strong>for</strong> supporting each of <strong>the</strong> key<br />

stages of <strong>the</strong> SDM process utilising an appropriate<br />

blend of providing in<strong>for</strong>mation, advice and training;<br />

promoting voluntary agreements, imposing<br />

regulation, use of financial instruments (incentives<br />

through to taxes), creating new markets and<br />

instigating relevant research.<br />

The cross-cutting objective must be to promote<br />

<strong>the</strong> role land managers play as individuals and as<br />

members of a DMG, and where appropriate assist<br />

<strong>the</strong>m to fulfil <strong>the</strong>ir role. One option would be <strong>the</strong><br />

development of an interactive web based tool to<br />

provide advice, in<strong>for</strong>mation, guidance on individual<br />

roles and actions required of <strong>the</strong>m and how <strong>the</strong>y<br />

might best go about per<strong>for</strong>ming <strong>the</strong>se actions.<br />

Evaluating <strong>Sustainable</strong> <strong>Deer</strong><br />

management<br />

Evidence from <strong>the</strong> <strong>Case</strong> Studies suggests that land<br />

managers are already incentivised to attain most of<br />

<strong>the</strong> economic and environmental criteria described<br />

as nationally important in <strong>the</strong> recently published<br />

Scotland’s Wild <strong>Deer</strong>: A National Approach (wDNA).<br />

This project, in addition to <strong>the</strong> legislative review of<br />

<strong>the</strong> <strong>Deer</strong> (Scotland) Act 1996, has highlighted that<br />

deer managers, individually and collectively, would<br />

benefit from <strong>the</strong> provision of better in<strong>for</strong>mation,<br />

advice and guidance on <strong>the</strong>ir individual roles and how<br />

<strong>the</strong>y might best go about per<strong>for</strong>ming <strong>the</strong>se actions.<br />

It is also clear that certain objectives listed in <strong>the</strong><br />

wDNA which were considered in this study to be<br />

of additional benefit and could produce added value<br />

with government assistance:<br />

♦ ♦ Ensure skills, knowledge and training<br />

development to manage deer.<br />

♦♦<br />

Develop <strong>the</strong> market and supply chain <strong>for</strong><br />

venison.<br />

In addition <strong>the</strong> social benefits of SDM were<br />

consistently considered as desirable across all sites.<br />

Hence, land managers/DMGs may also benefit from<br />

advice on communicating with <strong>the</strong> local community<br />

through <strong>the</strong> development of best practice guidance.<br />

Since SDM is a process ra<strong>the</strong>r than an endpoint <strong>the</strong><br />

Code of Practice <strong>for</strong> responsible deer management<br />

proposed under <strong>the</strong> Wildlife & Natural Environment<br />

Bill Consultation, will assist <strong>the</strong> development of<br />

criteria based indicators which can be readily<br />

measured by land managers. These indicators will<br />

need to be robust and accepted by land managers,<br />

yet relatively easy and cheap to attain. The standards<br />

attached to <strong>the</strong>se indicators would <strong>the</strong>n provide <strong>the</strong><br />

“goal posts” <strong>for</strong> land managers to measure success/<br />

failure against on a local basis and satisfy government<br />

agencies that land is being managed sustainably.<br />

Scottish Rural Development<br />

Programme<br />

The Scottish Government and Association of <strong>Deer</strong><br />

<strong>Management</strong> Groups (ADMG) should seek to<br />

influence SRDP measures to support collaborative<br />

planning and local capacity building.<br />

Consideration will also have to be given to how<br />

<strong>the</strong>se measures relate to cross-compliance and <strong>the</strong><br />

legislative framework being proposed to bolster <strong>the</strong><br />

voluntary DMG approach.<br />

<strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Groups<br />

Scottish Government, in partnership with <strong>the</strong> ADMG<br />

and <strong>the</strong>ir membership, need to ensure that right<br />

blend of “carrot and stick” will:<br />

♦ ♦ minimise government regulation and<br />

bureaucracy<br />

♦ ♦ encourage <strong>the</strong> DMG membership to develop<br />

<strong>the</strong> necessary capacity<br />

10 <strong>Sustainable</strong> <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Management</strong> • 24.06.10 © DCS 2010 • www.dcs.gov.uk


♦♦<br />

enable land managers to take “ownership”<br />

of <strong>the</strong> in<strong>for</strong>mation and various processes<br />

associated with SDM.<br />

As such, government advice, in<strong>for</strong>mation, training<br />

and fiscal incentive should focus on developing local<br />

capacity, with particular emphasis on those parts of<br />

<strong>the</strong> process where <strong>the</strong>re is most potential to achieve<br />

added value.<br />

Some important DMG functions cannot easily be<br />

allocated to any one person within <strong>the</strong> membership<br />

to per<strong>for</strong>m and since DMGs are run on a voluntary<br />

basis, most office bearers have full-time jobs and<br />

may have difficulty in providing <strong>the</strong> additional focus,<br />

energy and time required to improve <strong>the</strong> DMG<br />

per<strong>for</strong>mance. In such cases, DCS staff will aim<br />

to provide direct support to DMG’s to focus on<br />

supporting <strong>the</strong> implementation of those functions<br />

which were consistently considered difficult to<br />

achieve in practice as a consequence of requiring<br />

additional input in time or resources.<br />

However, in addition and in order <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> voluntary<br />

approach to successfully deliver SDM, certain key<br />

DMG functions need to be backed up by legislation<br />

to make sure that <strong>the</strong>y can:<br />

♦♦<br />

Deal effectively with those whose actions<br />

may significantly impact on a DMG’s ability to<br />

achieve <strong>the</strong> greatest benefit, but who do not<br />

actively engage/co-operate with <strong>the</strong> DMG<br />

membership.<br />

♦♦<br />

Deal effectively with disagreements between<br />

members with a recognised arbitration<br />

process.<br />

If a significant deer issue arose in a locale with no<br />

established DMG, an independent panel or facilitator<br />

would also have an important role in identifying key<br />

stakeholders, collating in<strong>for</strong>mation on <strong>the</strong> relevant<br />

local “deer-human-landscape” interactions and act as<br />

a catalyst to bring about practical long-term solutions.<br />

This type of facilitation to allow conflict resolution<br />

to take place must be seen to be independent,<br />

trustworthy, knowledgeable of <strong>the</strong> processes<br />

involved and be able to listen to and reflect on<br />

<strong>the</strong> desires of <strong>the</strong> DMG membership. This type<br />

of approach is being actively pursued through <strong>the</strong><br />

developing proposals within <strong>the</strong> Wildlife And Natural<br />

Environment Bill.<br />

11 <strong>Sustainable</strong> <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Management</strong> • 24.06.10 © DCS 2010 • www.dcs.gov.uk


For ease of interpretation <strong>the</strong> 38 criteria which<br />

have been developed <strong>for</strong> evaluating SDM can be<br />

considered under four broad headings;<br />

Environmental (12)<br />

♦ ♦ Safeguard Welfare of all deer species<br />

♦ ♦ Minimise spread of non-native species<br />

♦ ♦ Secure Favourable Condition of Designated<br />

Sites<br />

♦ ♦ Conserve/Enhance Biodiversity<br />

♦ ♦ Secure Favourable Condition of Nondesignated<br />

Sites<br />

♦ ♦ Mitigation/Adaptation to Climate Change<br />

♦ ♦ Conserve and enhance <strong>the</strong> cultural and historic<br />

environment<br />

♦ ♦ Implement precautionary measures, such as<br />

<strong>for</strong>est habitat network creation.<br />

♦ ♦ Increase <strong>the</strong> role of <strong>for</strong>estry in environmental<br />

protection including sustainable flood and<br />

catchment management and soil protection<br />

♦ ♦ Increase long-term carbon retention in<br />

woodlands through low impact silvicultural<br />

systems, promoting woodland regeneration<br />

(e.g. by managing grazing pressure)<br />

♦ ♦ Encourage <strong>the</strong> development and monitoring<br />

of short rotation coppice and short rotation<br />

<strong>for</strong>estry on appropriate sites.<br />

♦ ♦ Native deer are recognised as an iconic species<br />

and an asset<br />

Economic (16)<br />

♦ ♦ Increase Economic Opportunities Assoc. with<br />

Wild <strong>Deer</strong><br />

♦ ♦ Minimise Costs Assoc. with Wild <strong>Deer</strong><br />

♦ ♦ Develop <strong>the</strong> market and supply chain <strong>for</strong><br />

venison<br />

♦ ♦ Contribute to Social and Economic<br />

Development of Communities<br />

♦ ♦ Maintain balanced integration between<br />

agriculture, <strong>for</strong>estry & natural heritage<br />

♦ ♦ <strong>Deer</strong> management assists achievement of<br />

multiple land management objectives<br />

♦ ♦ Provide security <strong>for</strong> jobs of good quality<br />

♦ ♦ Satisfy demands of various types of sporting<br />

client<br />

♦ ♦ Maintain balanced age structure across <strong>the</strong> age<br />

profile<br />

♦ ♦ Maintain/improve <strong>the</strong> long-term capital value<br />

of estate/property<br />

♦ ♦ Contribute to a financially self-sufficient<br />

business plan where asset value is maintained<br />

♦ ♦ Ensure estate viability.<br />

♦ ♦ Appropriate proportion of tourism income<br />

comes into <strong>the</strong> estate<br />

♦ ♦ Enable Diversification of income e.g. green<br />

tourism, accommodation etc.<br />

♦ ♦ Non-economic benefits associated with deer<br />

outweigh <strong>the</strong> net cost of <strong>the</strong>ir management<br />

♦ ♦ Retain natural winter mortality to a minimum<br />

through provision of food & shelter<br />

Social (7)<br />

♦ ♦ Increase Participation in <strong>Management</strong> and<br />

Enjoyment of Wild <strong>Deer</strong><br />

♦ ♦ Contribute to Safe and Healthy Environment<br />

<strong>for</strong> People<br />

♦ ♦ Minimise Negative Impacts of <strong>Deer</strong> in/around<br />

Communities<br />

♦ ♦ <strong>Deer</strong> Encourage <strong>the</strong> Participation of<br />

Responsible Outdoor Recreation<br />

♦ ♦ Community well in<strong>for</strong>med on all aspects of<br />

deer management<br />

♦ ♦ Community appreciates <strong>the</strong> benefit associated<br />

with deer and <strong>the</strong>ir management<br />

♦ ♦ Community proactively educated by <strong>the</strong> deer<br />

sector<br />

Technical (3)<br />

♦ ♦ Guided by a <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Management</strong> Plan and Policy<br />

Document<br />

♦ ♦ <strong>Deer</strong> management is proactive and to a<br />

industry recognised standard (BP)<br />

♦ ♦ Ensure skills, knowledge and training<br />

development to manage deer<br />

12 <strong>Sustainable</strong> <strong>Deer</strong> <strong>Management</strong> • 24.06.10 © DCS 2010 • www.dcs.gov.uk

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