Further action to prevent deer damage approved

The Scottish Government has approved a compulsory deer management control scheme for an estate in Sutherland.

The move follows the failure to get voluntary agreement to prevent damage to important habitats. 

Without this agreement, NatureScot cannot be satisfied that effective deer management will be put in place to address risks of significant impact on peatlands, woodlands and other habitats in the Loch Choire area, a large proportion of which is covered by protected area designations. 

This includes four Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) wholly or partly falling on the estate’s land. 

A control scheme has now been approved by Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity, Jim Fairlie, following the appropriate period of consultation. 

Robbie Kernahan, NatureScot’s Director of Green Economy said:

“Deer are an important part of our biodiversity but in high numbers they can have a negative impact on woodlands, peatlands and other habitats. Sustainable deer management is vital if we are to bring populations in balance with the rest of nature and effectively tackle the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change.

“We will always favour a voluntary and collaborative approach to deer management, working in cooperation with partners towards this shared goal. However, we will use our intervention powers as a last resort in cases such as this, where despite significant efforts we have been unable to secure the required commitment and action through voluntary means.”

The move to a control scheme follows an intervention in 2023 when NatureScot staff carried out a cull under section 10(4) of the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996. Subsequent efforts by NatureScot to secure a longer-term solution to the damage on Loch Choire estate have been unsuccessful.

The control order, confirmed by the Scottish Governmentseeks to reduce the deer density on the estate from 14 deer per km2 to 7.5 deer per km2 within five years. If the estate failed to meet the requirements of any Section 8 order, NatureScot could intervene and recover costs. Anyone who refuses or wilfully fails to comply with a control scheme may be guilty of an offence.

There is now the opportunity for the owners of Loch Choire Estate to lodge an appeal with the Scottish Land Court within 28 days.