The Deer Initiative
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The Deer Initiative |
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Deer Collisions | ||||||||
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Best Practice |
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November 2008 |
News update from Greg Jones , Central England Deer Liaison Officer
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The Lower Wye Valley There are several projects running in the West Midlands Region with the largest project covering an area which stretches in to Wales and the South West, the Wye Valley . The Wye Valley is a complex matrix of sensitive sites both SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) and European designated SAC (Special Area of Conservation) as the woodland forms one of the most important areas for woodland conservation in the UK (JNCC – the statutory advisor to Government on UK and International nature conservation). The Wye Valley provides the most extensive examples of Tilio–Acerion forest in its western most range. The topography provides much ecological diversity with stands of beech, pedunculate oak and yew as both understorey and canopy trees (which are of ecological significance in their own right) and uncommon trees such as large leaved lime and rare whitebeams. Uncommon lower plants such as wood barley, stinking hellebore, narrow leaved bittercress and wood fescue are among the most important with sensitive fauna including the Lesser Horshoe bat. The deer issues are complex (when are they ever simple?!), fallow deer migrate along the rocky forested terrain of the valley without being particularly hefted to any one locality, utilising the undulating topography to their advantage. Collaborative efforts have been established for 2 years and the coming season will build on previous infrastructure. Alan Barrell will be representing the DI, taking over from Patrick Faulkner until the festive season has passed working with FCW and FCE as well as NGOs such as the Woodland Trust and Wildlife Trust and the equally important private stakeholders. This coming season collaborative works will be divided into 3 Zones which will enable a more focussed approach to deer management objectives. Each season the LWV DMG has built on passed experience and developed more effective collaboration in culling deer in an attempt to bring populations more in balance with the habitat in which they exist; each and every stakeholder is utterly critical in the achieving these common objectives.
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The Woolhope Dome, Dinmore Hill and Mortimer Forest The AONBs, both Malvern Hills and Wye Valley, are currently considering proposal to link the Woolhope Dome and the Malvern Hills through a network of native habitat. The DI along with all partners welcomes landscape scale connectivity projects which have the potential to deliver massive biodiversity gain although the effects on deer migration and colonisation on a project with a primary focus on linking habitat with what we affectionately term wildlife corridors, should not be underestimated. Serious consideration should be given to future management protocols before the project starts delivery. The DI welcomes another opportunity to work more closely with Forestry Commission colleagues in considering impacts of fallow and roe deer in the Mortimer area in terms of both Crown and private land, more news to follow next time! |
Rockingham Forest First named in the 11 th Century, a thriving iron smelting industry grew up around 1086 giving reason for silvicultural management to produce charcoal and quarrying for ironstone and limestone. Rockingham later became a medieval hunting forest and today the remnants of this forest encompass ancient woodlands, open agricultural lands and historic villages. At one time this now fragmented forest covered nearly all of the north-eastern part of the county between the rivers Nene and Welland. Rockingham Forest continues to be the main focus for considering the impact of deer on sensitive woodland sites and the woodland SSSIs of Rockingham continue to be adversely affected by significant numbers of fallow and muntjac. Collaborative management in the Rockingham Forest area is proving challenging and collaborative units have been scaled down within the wider Rockingham landscape in an attempt to maximise on the land owners and stalkers who recognise the benefits of collaborative management and look to play a part in bringing deer populations in Rockingham Forest to a more sustainable level. Boughton Estates have demonstrated what a difference well co-ordinated deer management can make and how such management can not only restore the biodiversity value of woodland both ASNW and SSSI but also add value to timber products whether it be future sawlog material, future firewood thinings or simply etherings and pea sticks from well protected coppice. On the 4 th September, the DI and Buccleuch Estates arranged an open day (or afternoon as it became once the rain set in) to demonstrate the above and to focus on how ride management benefits a wide range of objectives namely effective deer management, biodiversity enhancement, pheasant husbandry and sustainable forest management. Thanks again to Grahame and David for an excellent and informative day.
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Leighfield A joint visit with DI and FCE to an FCE managed woodland confirmed that for the present time, resource should continue to be allotted to Rockingham Forest area. Whilst the woodland habitat did show some sign of browsing, it was concluded that it is very far from being a concern at the present time. Discussions on site were useful as ever and served also to consider the benefits of some deer browsing and graising in all woodland habitat. |
Rutland Water Work is ongoing looking at fallow and muntjac impacts on the NNR and how best to address issues therein. |
Deer Vehicle Collisions Jochen Langbein has published his report on Deer collisions nationwide (see www.deercollisions.co.uk ) and is continuing to collate data. As an indication of awareness of deer collisions see the article Post Office® Counts The Cost Of Wild Animal Accidents issued by the Post Office on their website. I will be attending a meeting on 21st May 2008 to discuss the deer vehicle collisions scheme for Hampshire which is now at an advanced stage. Ashdown Forest Dale is still collating details of anyone who is interested in taking part or contributing to the scheme, please contact him by email or telephone on 0845 60 80 193 Deer traffic collisions on the forest in 2007 were on a par with the previous year, overall numbers were still over 300 despite fewer reports caused by a reduction in the area covered by the Ashdown Forest wardens and staff shortages. Numbers for this year already exceed 100 and keeping up with past records. The map below is taken from the deer collisions report and shows clearly the number od DVCs in the Ashdown forest area. A thermal imaging survey was carried out in March on a similar area of the Forest to last year plus an immediately adjacent area to the North and West resulted in a count of 720 fallow deer. A density of at least 40deer/km 2 for the area surveyed. The AADG is hoping to organise a daytime count involving Landowners and the local community in the autumn of 2008 or late winter of 2009r March. The AADG will be contacting landowners and deer managers across it’s area (the area approximately bounded by Tunbridge Wells, East Grinstead, Haywards Heath and Mayfield) More details on the group’s objectives and minutes of meetings are available on the Conservators of Ashdown Forest website. The DI Partnership meeting in May this year took place near the Ashdown Forest and included talks and visits in the area.
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Legislation The Deer (Regulatory Reform) ( England and Wales) Order 2007 has been with us since October 2007. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the extension to the female deer season has been widely utilised and has been particularly useful in the case of fallow deer. With regard to shooting muntjac and chinese water deer with .22 centrefire rifles ACPO have made it clear that they will make variations on certificates only when the certificate is due for renewal, there is no requirement to make a variation to shoot deer with these smaller calibres until then. “Following a period of discussion through ACPO FELWG Regional representatives, I have determined that the Working Groups’ policy recommendation to relevant Chief Officers and their FLMs is that for a period of no more than 5 years, we accept that it will not be in the public interest to seek to prosecute a person in circumstances where they have existing lawful possession of a firearm that would meet the above requirements, but currently have a condition on their firearms certificate to take only foxes/vermin.” ACPO have made a similar provision to take into account recent changes to range design and administration rules, thus: “In accordance with ACPO FELWG (Association of Chief Police Officers Firearms and Explosives Licensing Working Group) instructions, it will not be in the public interest to prosecute an individual if he uses his firearm on a ‘newly approved and public liability insured range’ if he only has the ‘old’ MoD approved range condition. Certificates will be amended as and when they come up for renewal, variation, amendment, change of address etc. Most of you will by now be familiar with the provisions of the European Protected Species (EPS)legislation, click here for comprehensive information. This legislation could affect even simple woodland operations such as clearing high seat sightlines so it as well to be aware of its provisions. Check the News section on the Forestry Commission website for the latest information from the Forestry Commission about EPS, the EWGS, SEEDA funding and other useful information.
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Best Practice Keep checking the Best Practice page on the DI website to see which new guides have been published. If you have comments on any of the published guides please contact Head Office. Background Wild deer management and issues arising from the presence of deer encompass a wide range of sometimes highly technical or involved subjects. It can be difficult for even experienced deer practitioners to keep abreast of developments. The purpose of the Best Practice project is to provide a single source of information to help make practitioners aware of:
The guides should help practitioners to feel that when following the guidance they are acting humanely, responsibly and effectively, carrying out their activities in a rational and considered way based on the best current information. The guides are compatible with the Deer Commission for Scotland Best Practice guides, are designed to support the Deer Stalking Certificate levels 1 and 2 and to reflect the National Occupational Standards where applicable.
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Education and training DMQ now has a revised website which covers all areas of the work of DMQ including a revised version of the guidance for witnesses. One major change to the assessment procedure is that there is now a completely new target for the DSC 1 shooting test, this will be the only target acceptable for assessment from 1 st May 2008
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Talks and Seminars I regularly talk to groups about deer and their sustainable management, if you would like me to attend a meeting just let me know.
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Updated December 2008 |
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Deer Collisions | ||||||||
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Best Practice |