North Rothiemurchus
For the North Rothiemurchus Pinewoods SSSI, the SMS states “Grazing by red and roe deer is currently the most influential factor in the management of the native pinewoods and management of the deer population within the site and in the surrounding areas is a key issue influencing habitat condition. Existing grazing levels are allowing tree regeneration to occur in some areas”.

Cairngorms
For the Cairngorms SSSI, the SMS states “Past and present levels of grazing, largely by red deer, have had a major impact on habitats in the site. Evidence of this can be seen in the lack of natural regeneration in many areas of the Caledonian pinewoods, the absence of a “natural “ tree line, the lack of a shrub layer in the forest and the paucity of broad-leaved trees throughout the existing woodlands. The removal of vegetation through over grazing and trampling has also affected heathland, wetland and plateau communities, where the soil has become exposed and erosion is occurring and the extent of some communities (eg montane scrub) has been reduced. Large concentrations of deer can result in trampling of dotterel eggs and chicks thus affecting their breeding success and, deer dung can cause enrichment of high altitude habitats. There is also a potential for erosion to occur where numbers of deer are high. However, concerted efforts are now being made to manage deer impacts in large parts of the site around Invereshie/ Inshriach, Upper Glenavon, Glenfeshie, Rothiemurchus and in the Mar Lodge woods where native woodland restoration by natural regeneration is a management priority. Deer Management Groups now play an active role in the co-ordination and integration of the management of deer across the site.

In summary, the condition of native pinewoods was assessed as not being in good condition at these three sites at the time of assessment. However, the real and potential impacts of red deer continue to be addressed and SNH currently see no reason to review management. Updated data on the condition of vegetation will be available from subsequent SCM assessments.

The management challenge is highlighted in the following statement from the SMS (2003); “The site has been and continues to be subject to a high grazing pressure from a combination of rabbits, red deer and mountain hare, although the contribution to grazing impacts in different parts of the site from each species is unclear. Many of the habitat interests have apparently benefited from the recent reductions in rabbit grazing but heavy impacts in the form of scuffing and poaching are still evident in some areas, including sensitive habitats such as tufa springs, calcareous flushes and associated grassland. This has locally led to an abundance of meadow thistle, ragwort and other weeds. In the future if the levels of grazing in the open ground habitats continues to fall and the cover of dwarf shrubs, shrubs and tree species increases, the species composition of some of these habitats is likely to be affected significantly. If grazing falls to levels which will allow woodland regeneration and expansion, careful management of stocking levels may be necessary to maintain open ground habitats through preferential grazing…”

Ladder Hills
For the Ladder Hills SSSI, the SMS (2004) states that “Red and Roe deer are seen although there is no hefted red deer on the hill and their contribution to the grazing is limited”, and “A survey in 1999 concluded that whilst grazing pressure from sheep (and deer) is sometimes high, in general it does not seem to be having a deleterious affect on sub-alpine, alpine and snowbed heaths. The effects on dry heath have yet to be systematically assessed.”

Eastern Cairngorms
For the Eastern Cairngorms SSSI, the SMS (2002) states, “High deer numbers have until recently prevented tree regeneration and necessitated the erection of deer fences. The management agreement with the National Trust for Scotland is aimed at reducing the red deer population to a level that encourages regeneration without fences”.

Within the CSDMG area, the Feshie Catchment is the only current DCS Priority Site and an associated Agreement under section 7 of the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996 is in place. This Agreement covers Glenfeshie, Inshriach, Invereshie, Killiehuntly and part of Mar Lodge. The Agreement was established in 2000 and is due to expire in 2010.

Glenfeshie estate was encouraged by Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) and DCS to enter into this agreement in order to prevent damage to the natural heritage at Glenfeshie. The Agreement underpins the Glenfeshie Estate Deer Management Plan (May 2000) and the Glenfeshie Woodland Grant Scheme (WGS). A key aim of the Estate Deer Management Plan and the Glenfeshie WGS is to regenerate and expand the Caledonian pinewood present at Glenfeshie.

In the initial 3 years of the Agreement (2000 – 2003), success was measured against the achievement of target deer culls and target deer populations. It is intended that success over the remaining period of the Agreement should be determined by habitat response. DCS is using the performance of existing tree seedlings as a proxy indicator of the overall condition of the Natura woodland interests present at the site. DCS carried out Tree Seedling Surveys in 2003, 2004 and 2005. SNH and Glenfeshie estate are also monitoring the performance of tree seedlings.

The habitat target agreed within the section 7 is “ the positive average growth of sufficient seedlings and trees currently below browse height”. There was no overall positive change in the height of seedlings surveyed by DCS in 2004 and 2005.

Glenfeshie estate is pursuing multiple objectives that demand economic, ecological and social sustainability. The presentation of sporting stags to paying clients provides a significant part of the financial income to support the employment of staff. However, the main wintering area for red deer, the main glen, is the key area for the regeneration of the native woodland and is the focus of a Natura 2000 designation and a Forestry Commission Woodland Grant Scheme. Although habitat targets have been introduced, deer numbers remain to be considered a threat by DCS and deer numbers continue to be reduced. As a consequence the initial sporting requirement for Glenfeshie estate was reduced from 80-120 to 60-80, and is now fixed at 60. Further reductions of red deer on Glenfeshie and on other estates within the Agreement may affect the numbers of red deer on adjacent range and this is taken account of in this DMP (Section 11).

Estimates of red deer occupancy in the main glen (by Glenfeshie Estate) indicate a reduction from 34 deer km-2 in 2000, 19 deer km-2 in 2002, 12 deer km-2 in 2003 and 8.6 deer km-2 2004. However, in 2005, in spite of a continuing reduction in many parts of the main glen, the average occupancy had risen to 11.6 deer km-2. Occupancy/density generally remains too high to guarantee tree regeneration although some seedlings are beginning to emerge from the surrounding vegetation in some places

Because high tree densities, growth rates and tree form are relatively less important in naturally regenerated native woodlands than in areas of planted seedlings with commercial objectives, native woodlands can withstand higher levels of grazing/browsing. The pursuit of commercial forestry objectives, which require the virtual elimination of deer, should be avoided in all but exceptional circumstances.