The Scottish Wildlife Trust sees the need for and is supportive of the historic move by NatureScot to enforce a compulsory control scheme at Loch Choire Estate in Sutherland. Deer densities in many parts of Scotland are much higher than our fragile habitats are able to support, and the Loch Choire area is no exception. Important woodland and peatland habitats are at risk from overgrazing and trampling by the estate’s high deer densities.

We are supportive of the use of deer management intervention powers by NatureScot – unnaturally high deer densities are consistently identified as a major barrier to tackling climate change and restoring Scotland’s natural environment. The voluntary approach to deer management which has been Scottish Government policy until now has been ineffective in bringing deer numbers down to levels which allow healthy ecosystem balance.

We hope that the Loch Choire case is an indication that NatureScot plans to start taking advantage of their deer management powers more frequently than they have done so far. Amendments to the Deer Act (Scotland) proposed in the Natural Environment Bill would allow NatureScot to intervene in deer management issues on the grounds of nature restoration. These powers could therefore have great potential to support Scotland’s commitments to halting and reversing the decline of nature by 2030 and to having restored and regenerated biodiversity by 2045.

Header image © Jon Hawkins