Sustainable deer management powers

The Trust's Head of Campaigns Thomas Widrow reports on how the Scottish Government is about to give nature a fighting chance.

Next year, the Scottish Parliament will scrutinise a much-needed Natural Environment Bill. Following intense lobbying by the John Muir Trust and its partners in the environmental movement, the Government is proposing a series of measures to deliver sustainable deer management.  

The Trust is extremely pleased with the Government’s commitment to tackling the issue of deer overpopulation. Now all eyes will be on Parliament as it scrutinises the Bill and proposes amendments. 

We are particularly supportive of a proposal from the Scottish Government that will create a new power for NatureScot (Scotland’s government agency for the environment).  

The proposed Deer Management Nature Restoration Orders (DMNROs) reflect a more proactive approach in tackling the nature crisis. That is because DMNROs go beyond the existing set of powers that focus on protecting what is left, by providing the opportunity to restore what has been lost. That is a core part of the John Muir Trust’s mission, and that goal is shared by many other landowners across the country.  

With DMNROs, NatureScot will be able to catalyse meaningful collaboration between all landowners in an area, ensuring sustainable deer management is delivered at the landscape scale required to deliver the results we need to halt and reverse the decline of Scotland’s precious wild places. 

To learn more about this new proposed power, read this blog by Scottish Environment LINK’s Deer Group, of which the Trust is an active member: What are the Scottish government’s proposed Deer Management Nature Restoration Orders? - Scotlink

• As we head into an extremely important legislative year, help us continue our advocacy and lobbying effort. Donate to our Campaigns Fund.