Multi-million-pound deer culling contracts will protect forests and support jobs

Forestry and Land Scotland has awarded its five-year deer management tender worth as much as £31 million through ten major regional contracts, supporting scores of jobs.

Bosses said the contracts would bring direct investment in communities across Scotland through the award of subcontracts, business up-scaling, the provision of training and apprenticeship opportunities.

Deer management is seen as essential to protect the 150 million young trees that - at any one time on Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) land - are vulnerable to browsing damage from the animals. FLS estimates the cost of the damage done is in the region of £3m annually.

Ian Fergusson, FLS’ head of wildlife management, said: “Scotland’s forests and timber industry are fundamental to climate emergency mitigation and the prevention of biodiversity loss.

“Our productive forests are additionally becoming increasingly important as a natural resource, particularly as global markets face unprecedented levels of flux and the UK is importing 80 per cent of its annual timber requirement. It is vital, therefore, that we continue to limit the negative environmental impacts of deer damage on our forests and fragile habitats by helping to reduce deer numbers nationally to a sustainable population level.

“Awarding these contracts will have a significant positive economic impact in rural communities by supporting up to 100 jobs in the deer management sector and, through the supply of around 37,000 carcasses annually, will continue to support jobs in Scotland’s venison processing sector.”

FLS said it was looking to deliver a cull - on the land it manages - of more than 200,000 deer over the next five years.