NORTH ROSS DEER MANAGEMENT GROUP (VERSION May 2016) DEER MANAGEMENT PLAN 2014 - 2019 NORTH ROSS DEER MANAGEMENT GROUP Contents Page 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Purpose of Plan 1.2 Group Area 1.3 Group Members 1.4 Timescale 2. AIMS & OBJECTIVES 2.1 Guiding Principles 2.2 The Group's Objectives 3. MANAGEMENT POLICIES & INFORMATION 3.1 North Ross Deer Population 3.2 Supplementary Deer Policies 3.3 Communications 3.4 Training 3.5 Monitor And Review Progress Of Deer Management Plan 4. OPERATION OF THE GROUP 5. PUBLIC INTEREST ACTIONS Appendices Appendix I Individual Member Details Appendix II SNH Code of Practice on Deer Management Appendix III ADMG Benchmark Appendix IV SNH Helicopter Count Report 2015 Appendix V SNH Best Practice Guidelines- Habitat Impact Assessment Appendix VI SSSI Information Appendix VII Joint Agency statement and guidance on Deer Fencing 2004 Appendix VIII Chronic Wasting Disease Leaflet Appendix IX Tick Borne Diseases Leaflet Appendix X Watson & Smith Lymes Disease Paper 2009 Appendix XI Constitution Appendix XII Scotland’s Wild Deer, A National Approach Plans Plan 1 Membership Plan Plan 2 Deer Density Plan 2014 Plan 3 SNH – Deer Density Plan 2015 Plan 4 SNH – Count Route Plan 2015 Plan 5 SNH – Deer Vehicle Collisions 2002 – 2013 Plan 6 SNH – Group A Habitat type and random sample points Plan 7 SNH – Group B Habitat type and random sample points Plan 8 SNH – Group C Habitat type and random sample points Plan 9 Environmental Designations Plan Plan 10 SNH – Designated Sites Plan Plan 11 SNH – SSSi Condition Plan Plan 12 SNH – Land Cover Scotland Plan Plan 13 SNH – National Forest Inventory Woodlands Plan Plan 14 SNH – Native Woodland Survey of Scotland – Herbivore Pressure Plan 15 SNH – Woodland Creation Schemes Plan Plan 16 Walked Routes and Munros NORTH ROSS DEER MANAGEMENT GROUP MARCH 2014 (Updated May 2016) 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 Purpose of Plan The purpose of the plan is to provide: • An agreed statement of the shared views of the Group Members about the management of wild deer and sustainable land use within the area covered by the NRDMG. • An agreed set of actions to achieve those shared views and protocols to ensure they are done and their effectiveness monitored. • A reference for Members and the general public. 1.2 Group Area • North Ross Deer Management Group (NRDMG) is situated in the north-west Highlands. It extends to approximately 148,500ha. Altitude within the NRDMG ranges from sea level to 1081m at the summit of Beinn Dearg. There are 7 Munros within the Deer Management Group (DMG), as well as many steep sided glens and lochs. MAP WITH NRDMG AREA HIGHLIGHTED • The NRDMG area supports the characteristic range of plant communities found in north-west Scotland, dominated by relatively slow growing and unproductive wet heath and blanket bog. The diversity of habitat in the area supports several plant species considered to be scarce in the national context but there are no extreme rarities, classified as Red Data Book species. • Mean average temperatures for the area are 1oC in January and 11oC in July although altitude will modify these figures heavily, especially in the west of the area. Rainfall generally exceeds 1200mm being mostly in the range of 1600-2400mm and increasing to 2800mm on the highest ground. The average annual frequency of snowfall ranges from 35 days on the lower ground to over 50 days on the Beinn Dearg massif. - 1 - - 2 - 1.3 Group Members The following table together with Plan 1 identifies and locates the Member properties. Appendix I holds the Members responses to a questionnaire which seeks to describe the property and essential management and property information. Ref Property Land within Group area - Area (hectares) 1 Alladale Wilderness Reserve 2 Braelangwell 3 Braemore 4 Clach Liath 5 Corriemulzie 6 Croick 7 Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) 8 Foulis 9 Fountains Forestry 10 Glencalvie 11 Inverlael Deer Forest 12 Inverlael Estate (Glen Beag) 13 Kildermorie) 14 Langwell 15 Leckmelm Deer Forest 16 Leckmelm Estate 17 Ledmore 18 Little Wyvis 19 Loch Droma 20 Loubcroy 21 Morefield 22 Novar 23 Rhidorroch West 24 Rhidorroch East 25 SNH - Ben Wyvis 26 SNH - Knockan Crag 27 Strathvaich 28 Wyvis Total 131,630 1.4 Timescale This is the second collaborative DMP to be prepared by the NRDMG. The first was produced in September 2002. This Plan has been written to cover the five year period from 2014-2019, however it is seen as being an ongoing process and actions may be refined and amended as a result of the data collected throughout the period. - 3 - 2. AIMS & OBJECTIVES 2.1 Guiding Principles The Members have adopted the Principles of Collaboration created by the ADMG which are as follows:- • to acknowledge what we have in common - namely a shared commitment to a sustainable and economically viable Scottish countryside; • to make a commitment to work together to achieve that; • to accept that we have a diversity of management objectives and that we respect each other’s objectives; • to undertake to communicate openly with all relevant parties; • to commit to negotiate and where necessary compromise in order to accommodate the reasonable land management requirements of our neighbours; • to undertake that where there are areas of disagreement, we will work to resolve these. In addition Members have adopted the Code of Practice on Deer Management (Appendix II) and aim to deliver the terms of the code through the Groups policies and objectives. 2.2 The Group’s Objectives:- • To foster best practice in all aspects of deer management. • To adopt a constitution suitable for the running of the NRDMG • To ensure full participation throughout the Group area • To ensure that ownership objectives (be they sporting, forestry, agricultural, fishing, conservation, etc) are achievable whilst maintaining designated features in favourable condition or working towards favourable/unfavourable recovering condition. • To maintain a sustainable Group sporting stag cull and associated socio-economic benefits. • Minimise spread of sika and any other non-native deer species within the DMG area and report sightings to SNH • Minimise the incidents of deer poaching. • Minimise negative impacts associated with access legislation. • To adhere to the Deer Management Group benchmark (Appendix III) • to achieve a relatively stable deer population capable of sustaining sporting requirements along with other land uses and habitat requirements of the area; • to ensure sufficient on going training is carried out to enable the aims and objectives of the Group to be met • to ensure an effective system of communications is in place both within the Group and with the general public and to engage positively and actively. • to ensure such there are sufficient resources carry out the aims and objectives of the Group - 4 - 3. MANAGEMENT POLICIES & OBJECTIVES 3.1 North Ross Deer Population The principal deer species in the area is Red deer. Roe deer occupy woodland margins but are mainly confined to lower elevations. Sika deer are occasional visitors to open ground but are most regularly found in woodland plantations. Sika deer are known to be resident in the central and North East of the DMG with occasional visitors elsewhere. At present red deer are the only species for which a census (or “count”) is regularly undertaken. Deer Count The Group aim to complete a count each year. This is usually done by Group Members on foot during the first quarter of the year. They are ideally carried out during periods of consistent snow cover (“white count”) or without snow (a “brown count”). Occasionally a count is undertaken by helicopter in conjunction with SNH. The Group coordinates its efforts using the sub Group areas established for habitat monitoring (see ‘Habitat Monitoring’). It is important to recognise that data from a count is only a snapshot of what is happening at the time of that count. There can be significant movement of animals between estates and other deer management Group areas at certain times of the year or according to weather conditions. Ongoing count figures help to provide a better indication of deer numbers over time and assist with future population modelling. The Group has two section 7 areas which follow their own prescribed cull targets with a view to improving the condition of the Special Areas of Conservation covering the Group properties (See ‘Environmental Designations’). The cull levels within the S.7 areas have not been without controversy and concern has been raised about the impact on the population numbers during the stalking season by neighbouring properties. - 5 - SNH undertook a helicopter based count in 2008 (see table below). NRDMG Stags Hinds & Calves Total Totals 4,039 10,933 14,972 An SNH helicopter count of the estates covered by S.7 Control Agreements took place in 2011. The Group organized a Deer count (foot count) in 2014 and most Members took part. It returned estimates for the population of red deer as follows: NRDMG Stags Hinds Calves Uncl Total Totals 2,758 4,284 1,596 195 8,833 2 Plan 2 shows the deer densities for each Group Member per km based on the 2014 foot count. • On the 3rd, 4th and 5th February 2015 SNH undertook a helicopter count (see table below). Planar Density NRDMG Stags Hinds Calves Total 2 Area(Ha) (deer/km ) Totals 123,142 4,374 7,385 2,589 14,348 11.65 The SNH Helicopter Report is included in Appendix IV and the Deer Density and Count Route Plans are Plans 3 and 4. The Group organized a Deer count (foot count) in 2016 and most Members took part. It returned estimates for the population of red deer as follows: NRDMG Stags Hinds Calves Uncl Total Totals 2,741 4,182 1,131 221 8,275 - 6 - Deer Culls Group Members together with their neighbours and tenants control deer to meet a wide range of objectives.