LDNS teams up with Scottish Land & Estates for NE Scotland event
An Insight into Lowland Deer Management Walk & Talk – with Scottish Land & Estates and Dunecht Estates takes place on Thursday 3 October, 10.00 to 13.00hrs, Meeting at Dunecht Village Hall, Dunecht, Westhill, Aberdeenshire AB32 7AW This event, hosted by Dunecht Estates in partnership with SL&E and LDNS, is primarily for landowners, farmers and land managers to gain greater insight into deer management on the urban fringe. It will include short presentations from Colin Shedden, Chairman, Lowland Deer Network Scotland; Iain Hope, Wildlife Management Officer, SNH; Ian Talboys,...
Read MoreLowland Deer Panel and Public Interest reports now available
The report of the Lowland Deer Panel to Scottish Natural Heritage has now been published and includes seven recommendations for SNH to consider. SNH will consider the report and recommendations ‘in the round’, rather than taking the Panel’s work in isolation, and will respond fully to it later this year. Report of the Lowland Deer Panel to SNH, February 2019 The report Lowland deer management: assessing the delivery of public interests is also available. It was compiled by SRUC to better understand approaches to Lowland deer management and is an important first step to build a complete...
Read MoreDeer health project finds very low levels of harmful E. coli O157 strain in wild deer in Scotland
A project undertaken by the Moredun Research Institute and the University of Edinburgh into harmful E. coli O157 bacteria in Scotland’s wild deer has established that the bacteria has a low prevalence in deer of less than 0.3 per cent. Richard Cooke, Chairman, LDNS, says: “When we signed up to the project it was in part a leap of faith and we hoped that science would show that the occurrence of this bug in our wild deer species is extremely low, and this has turned out to be the case. Whilst we cannot make comparisons with the level in livestock or other foods, or comment on the level of...
Read MoreNew Scottish venison strategy launched
The first ever strategy for Scottish venison has been launched, with the aim of bringing together wild and farmed deer interests and setting out nine ‘key areas’ for growth across the sector. These areas include developing new supply chains, tailored support for deer farming, developing a scheme for co-op owned chills and larders and supply of local product to local markets, consumer promotion, education, skills development and building on Scotland’s reputation as a centre for world-class expertise, and further R & D including market insight. Speaking from the Downfield Farm...
Read MoreBids being sought by SNH for Flanders Moss NNR Deer Management Permission
Scottish Natural Heritage requires a more focussed culling effort to address the expanding deer population on Flanders Moss NNR. SNH is offering a unique opportunity to bid for deer management permission on Flanders Moss NNR over the land specifically owned by SNH (this is c ~90 hectares). The proposed lease would be for one year from 3 September 2018 to 2 September 2019. Here are the important dates (all 2018) for this contract: Tender goes live: Friday 10 August Site Visit to Flanders Moss NNR: Thursday 16 August, 11.00am Questions from bidders (if applicable): Friday 10 August to Tuesday...
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