Managing Deer for Nature and Climate Change consultation response

This document contains the Cairngorms National Park Authority's response to a consultation on managing deer for nature and climate change. The Park Authority acknowledges deer are important to the National Park, but reducing their impact is necessary to meet climate and nature commitments through various management strategies, including the control of non-native deer. They support Deer Management Nature Restoration Orders, which would give NatureScot more power to require nature enhancement. The Park Authority wishes to be consulted on any DMNROs within the National Park, and that they are directly linked to the National Park Partnership Plan objectives. They support the change to the close season for hinds, but not the movement of the date from 20 October to 30 September, and suggest any change should consider the need to reduce deer damage while protecting dependent deer calves. Finally, the Park Authority would like to see further work carried out in Scotland to promote and expand the use of venison, especially with the proposed increase in culling.