Deer are a central component of Scotland’s ecosystems, contributing vital natural processes through grazing, browsing, trampling, nutrient cycling and seed dispersal. Additionally, in many Scottish communities, deer stalking plays a significant role – providing jobs, food, and for some people, a sense of place and cultural identity.
Nobody contests the value of deer, or the affection these animals inspire. However, in the absence of natural predators and with strong ties to traditional sport shooting, excessive deer numbers in many areas have become a barrier to the recovery of native woodlands and peatlands, reducing biodiversity and impairing climate resilience.
THE CHALLENGE
Shaped by a cocktail of social, cultural and economic influences, discussions around deer management are often characterised by entrenched and impassioned opinions, low trust and siloed thinking. Red deer in particular have become a totem for tensions around wider changes in land management: How can ecological restoration and rural traditions coexist? What should Scotland's landscape look like in the future? Who should it serve and who should have a say? And how do we reach a compromise that everyone can sign up to?
Scotland has ambitious ecosystem restoration targets, but natural woodland regeneration depends on freedom from excessive browsing pressure, for which deer management will continue to be crucial.
THE FIADH PROJECT
The project's name is inspired by the Gaelic word ‘fiadh’ (pronounced FEE-ugh), which refers to both ‘deer’ and ‘wildness’. Over the next two years, The Fiadh Project will produce and share a sequence of short films and stories to help catalyse fresh conversations and challenge preconceptions surrounding the often contentious subject of deer management.
Ultimately, the project aims to promote a new way of measuring successful deer management, placing greater emphasis on the recovery of more diverse, more productive and more resilient landscapes, where the vital role of professional land managers and deer stalkers is recognised and valued.
When deer densities are in keeping with the carrying capacity of the landscape, a more dynamic mosaic of habitats can emerge, supporting a greater diversity and abundance of species.
FINDING THE COMMON GROUND
Throughout The Fiadh Project we will work closely with The Common Ground Forum, a network of stakeholders from across Scotland’s upland deer sector, committed to diffusing the tensions that have stifled conversations around deer management. SCOTLAND: The Big Picture is a signatory to the Common Ground Accord, which sets a new standard for respectful, progressive conversations across this traditionally contested area.
Watch our short film to discover the founding principles of the Forum.
And here's what these changes could mean... (sound on!)
50 years in 50 seconds is a visual representation of how a familiar Scottish landscape might develop over half a century, with reduced grazing pressure. As time unfolds, native woodlands expand, natural processes return and biodiversity flourishes as new habitats appear.
The exact nature and extent of change depends on many factors, but the transformation from a simplified landscape into something more complex and productive, is likely to apply to many upland areas across Scotland.
Animation: cbec eco-engineering UK Ltd
Sound: Peter Smith
Commissioned by: SCOTLAND: The Big Picture as part of The Fiadh Project
