South Skye Deer Management Group Deer Control Plan This Deer Control Plan outlines the South Skye Deer Management Group’s approach to Deer Control within its defined area of operations. Deer numbers are lower than the national average, therefore the SSDMG acts as a Deer Control Group. This ensures deer can be managed at a level which will not impact adversely with other stakeholder’s interests yet determines they are properly managed. To be effective, this plan is a living document which is sufficiently flexible to adapt to change and illustrate current data. This means that sections will evolve throughout the year as data changes and operational needs alter, that the Plan will be reviewed annually for operational reasons and be due a full review for suitability every three years. Date Page Amendment Chairman: Chris Cartwright Date Last Amended: 18/07/2019 [email protected] Date Adopted: 21/01/2020 Secretary: Duncan MacDonald Tri-Annual Review: 20/02/2023 [email protected] 1 Intentionally Blank 2 Contents page Index 3 1. Introduction & Mission Statement 4 2. Cooperation & Principles of Collaboration 5 3. Communications Policy 6 4. Owners & Managers 7 4.1 Geographic Location and coverage 7 4.2 Deer – Current Situation & Trends 7 4.3 Current Impacts 7 4.4 Individual Mission Statements (all Stakeholders) 9 5. Future Management 18 5.1 Membership of the SSDMG 18 5.2 Long-term policy 18 5.3 Deer Managers Development 18 5.4 Policy Statement 19 6. Deer - The Current Situation 20 6.1 Historical Perspective & Current Impacts 20 6.2 Current Deer Control 20 6.3 Confirmation of Deer Populations 21 7. Future Control Strategy 22 7.1 Collaboration 22 7.2 Cull requirements by species (all Stakeholders) 22 7.3 General Cull Strategy 22 7.4 Annual Cull/Trend Summaries (all Stakeholders) 23 7.4. (1-15) Annual Population Reviews (all Stakeholders) 24 8. Health & Safety (all Stakeholders) 39 9. Risk Assessments 42 10. Financial 43 11. Venison (all Stakeholders) 44 12. Marketing (all Stakeholders) 47 13. Glossary 48 14. Appendices 49 1. SSDMG Boundary Map 52 2 Deer Species Distribution Map and SNH Adopted Deer Count 50 3 Woodland Areas in Sleat 51 4 RPID Skye Sporting Leases 55 5 GDPR Policy 56 6 Other useful Contacts and Information 57 3 1. INTRODUCTION Two main species of deer live wild in South Skye today, Red and Roe Deer and an occasional sighting of Sika. Historically, the control of deer had been dealt with by the individual land owner/occupiers with no formal agreement in place to share information. There are differing objectives across these groups and managing the disparate deer populations had become too localised and outwith greater collaborative control. Deer habitat is preferentially in woodland but they are well established at adapting to living on the open hill with opportunistic browsing taking place on farmland and gardens, in-by land and crofts. Deer are an important part of our wildlife and are attractive animals which people enjoy seeing in our countryside. However they must be managed to keep them in balance with their habitat and prevent serious damage to woodlands, SSSI’s, Crofts, Parks or Gardens where deer may already live or will tend to colonise in the future. Deer have no natural predators. Too many deer can lead to: • Damage to trees, woodland flora and wildlife habitats • Damage to farm crops and gardens • An increase in road traffic accidents • Poor health of the deer if their numbers are greater than the habitat can support. Woodland clearance and over-hunting reduced deer in historic times but during the 20th century, native deer species have re-colonised both ancient and new woodlands over most of their former range. Land Management changes throughout the decades have led to a change in population densities as has the introduction of four main species in the UK (Fallow, Sika, Muntjac and Chinese Water Deer) which with the possible exception of CWD, are spreading rapidly. For this reason, deer and their habitats need to be effectively managed to avoid conflict. The South Skye Deer Management Group (SSDMG) has been set up to ensure a proper balance between the welfare of the deer and their habitat, the residents within its geographical scope and the visitors to this popular tourist destination. This will encompass: • A detailed knowledge of deer and their habitat within the SSDMG’s area of influence • Those areas which are popularly frequented by deer • Location of the deer population through habitat and sustenance management • Mapping of the forestry and woodland enclosures to identify deer populations and other important factors such as designated areas for conservation • Control of deer numbers in order to sustain a viable population • A close working liaison between the group members • Open communications processes • The maintenance of a Deer Control Plan (DCP) with annual reviews. In order to guide the membership and provide clarity for others, the Group has agreed a Mission statement, as follows: SSDMG MISSION STATEMENT The members of the group commit to working collaboratively to address the impacts on our local community of deer management in a way that maintains a healthy deer population consistent with current local interests. 4 2. COOPERATION AND PRINCIPLES OF COLLABORATION The Sleat Deer Management Group was constituted on the 12th of January 2016 with an adopted constitution that is generally aligned with that of the Association of Deer Management Groups (ADMG) to ensure best administrative practice in the running of the group. In late 2017 the John Muir Trust (JMT) and the Scottish Government (RPID) were invited to join the group, which extended the northern boundary to a line drawn along existing border lines between Glenbrittle and Sligachan. The FEI estate is excluded as they elected to write their own DMP and the MacLeod Estates retain control over a portion within the northern boundary that covers the Black Cuillin. Accordingly, the constitution of the Sleat Deer Management Group was amended to integrate the John Muir Trust and the Scottish Government. The Group is now called the South Skye Deer Management Group. FEI cooperate on deer numbers, fences and other necessarily shared data on an ongoing basis. The Constitution aims to enable full and effective communications between the members of the Group, as follows: Members agree to support the effective running of the Group by: • Attending or being represented at all DMG meetings. • Supplying information required for the administration of the Group • Supplying information required for the writing and review of the Group Deer Control Plan and for the other purposes of the Group. • Paying an annual subscription to the SSDMG at such rates as may be agreed. • Collaborating with other Members and other relevant interests. • Advising the Group of any relevant changes in terms of ownership or land management in respect of their individual landholdings. • Carrying out deer control in accordance with all relevant legislation, referring to the SNH Code of Practice for Deer Management and Wild Deer Best Practice. Principles of Collaboration Under our principles of collaboration, the South Skye Deer Management Group: • Acknowledge what we have in common – a shared commitment to a sustainable and economically viable Scottish countryside. • Make a commitment to work together to achieve and maintain that. • Accept that we have a diversity of management objectives and respect each other’s objectives. • Undertake to communicate openly with all relevant parties. • Commit to negotiate and, where necessary, to compromise in order to accommodate the reasonable land management requirements of neighbours. 5 • Where there are areas of disagreement we undertake to work together to resolve them. • If the disagreement is not solvable the group would seek independent arbitration. The South Skye Deer Management Group acknowledges that collaboration is essential to meet the standards set by the Code of Practice for Deer Management. 3. Communications Policy SSDMG COMMUNICATIONS POLICY Communications within the group are co-ordinated by the Secretary, and are led by the content of incoming e-mails, meetings, directions from the Chair, Industry best practice and statutes. The Deer Management Plan can be found on the Clan Donald Lands Trust and the Sleat Community Trust’s web sites with its latest updates indicated on the front page. Contact details of the main Estates are at S.4 and Appendix 6. External communications, where required will be directed at parties not directly involved but with an interest in deer management. These will include Adjacent Estates, individuals, local bodies such as community councils, local authorities, local media and other specialist interests. ______________________________________ Chairman, South Skye Deer Management Group 20th February 2019 6 4. Owners & Managers Contacts Name Contact details [email protected] Clan Donald Lands Trust Chris Cartwright (07918) 075 700 [email protected] Forestry and Land Scotland Russell Cooper (07887) 626634 [email protected] Tormore Farm Ian Lindsay (01471) 844 340 [email protected] Sleat Community Trust Henrik Micski (01471) 844 773 Sleat General Grazings [email protected] Duncan MacDonald Committee (01471) 833 297 [email protected] John Muir Trust Ally Macaskill (01471) 866 388 [email protected] Scottish Government (RPID) Ewen MacPherson (01478) 612 516 4.1 Geographic Location & Coverage For a map showing the SSDMG area of influence, see Appendix 1. The northern extent is defined by a boundary line that runs from Glenbrittle in the west to Sligachan in the east. FEI is excluded as is the MacLeod estates portion of the northern boundary, comprising the Black Cuillin. 4.2 Deer – Current Situation and Trends Deer management in Sleat have been largely uncoordinated in the past with the Clan Donald Lands Trust and Crofter’s Authorised Controllers independently working to reduce numbers and a more targeted and holistic approach has occurred with the formation of the DMG.