The Trust has welcomed measures set out by the Scottish Government to improve deer management.
These include ensuring a tougher approach is taken to ensure collaborative management plans are delivered, and creating an independent group to look at issues including the impact of wild deer on fragile habitats.
Bruce Wilson, Senior Policy Officer said: “This bolder approach to deer management is long overdue. The voluntary agreements that have been used to date have failed to halt the decline in many habitats, particularly woodland, that is caused by overgrazing.
“We need to work at a landscape scale across Scotland to reduce deer numbers to sustainable levels, so we welcome the tougher approach that will be taken by Scottish Natural Heritage if landowners do not cooperate.
“The new independent working group on deer management needs to have a clear focus, and look beyond red deer to consider the growing impacts of other species including roe.
“With the clock ticking on Scotland’s commitment to stop biodiversity loss by 2020, we can’t afford to keep kicking the can down the road forever.”