BASC has reiterated its calls for a community deer management scheme in response to a key Scottish Government consultation.

The ‘Tackling the Nature Emergency Consultation on Scotland’s Strategic Framework for Biodiversity’ seeks the views of stakeholders on tackling nature and climate crises.

The consultation outcome will set the path of Scottish Government policy on areas such as deer management and sustainable grouse moor management for decades to come.

The consultation is seeking views on a range of topics and proposals related to biodiversity and tackling the nature emergency in Scotland, including the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy which sets out a vision to halt and reverse biodiversity loss.

These proposals include reducing deer densities, as part of the Scottish Government's target to increase woodland and forestry. BASC’s vision places rural communities at the centre of efforts to manage deer on publicly owned land in Scotland.

It aims to formalise what is being described as ‘community integrated deer management’. This involves establishing more opportunities for trained recreational deer stalkers to manage deer and reduce deer densities on public land in their local area.

BASC Scotland director, Peter Clark said: “At a time when the public purse is tight, we have made it clear in our response to the nature emergency consultation that BASC members should be front and centre on reducing deer numbers.

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“Across Scotland, we have a wealth of rural expertise ready to manage deer populations successfully, it is all about the Scottish Government making changes to harness the opportunity.

“There are plenty of well qualified and skilled deer stalkers across rural areas who could be ‘called up’ to manage the deer populations on publicly-owned land.

“We strive to see BASC’s community integrated deer management plan implemented on publicly-owned land, to allow Scotland’s deer numbers to be better controlled and allowing for greater opportunities for rural communities”.