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The five-year Capercaillie Emergency Plan, launched by the Park Authority and NatureScot in 2024, aims to improve capercaillie breeding success and survival across the core capercaillie range in the Cairngorms National Park through the delivery of immediate and targeted measures.
This group, chaired by Nature Scot, is responsible for assessing the effectiveness of the management actions in the Capercaillie Emergency Plan.
The scientific advisory group’s main functions are:
Developing and delivering a research and monitoring plan to measure the impact of the activities outlined in the Capercaillie Emergency Plan
Informing adaptive management and recommending updates to the Emergency Plan based on evidence
Supporting the specific research actions outlined in the Emergency Plan
Reporting to the Capercaillie Emergency Plan Programme Board
Membership of the scientific advisory group consists of a representative from the following organisations:
Forest Research
GWCT
NatureScot
Park Authority
RSPB
RZSS
University of Aberdeen
University of Glasgow
University of St Andrews
This document contains notes from a meeting of the Scientific Advisory Group and Programme Board for the Capercaillie Emergency Plan. The group reviewed and largely agreed upon the Research and Monitoring Plan, which focuses on tracking productivity and aims for long-term population growth and range expansion, supported by an Integrated Population Model. Discussions also covered how to clearly communicate monitoring results, including plans for a productivity dashboard, and the decision to delay the National Capercaillie Survey until 2029/30 or 2030/31. Updates on the Emergency Plan's progress were shared, highlighting efforts like removing deer fences, cutting heather, providing diversionary feeding, developing habitat maps, and securing additional funding from the Scottish Government's Nature Restoration Fund. Actions were assigned to refine the plan, develop communication strategies, and further test the Integrated Population Model.
Please be aware that this summary has been generated using AI.
This document contains meeting notes from the Scientific Advisory Group for the Capercaillie Emergency Plan. The group discussed updates on research using advanced scanning technology to understand forest habitats and surveys on encouraging behaviours that help capercaillie. A key focus was reviewing the draft Research and Monitoring Plan, looking at its long-term goals up to 2045, and how it connects with the main Emergency Plan. They agreed on using indicators like capercaillie breeding success and national surveys to measure progress, alongside needing continued funding and support for a special computer model, the Capercaillie Integrated Population Model, to track population changes.
Please be aware that this summary has been generated using AI.
Capercaillie Emergency Plan scientific advisory group meeting notes - September 2025
This document contains a meeting note from the Scientific Advisory Group regarding the Capercaillie Emergency Plan, held on 31 July at the Park Authority office. Attendees included scientists and managers from various organizations such as Forest Research, the Park Authority, NatureScot, and universities. The meeting covered the group's terms of reference, emphasizing the importance of focusing on measuring the impact of the Capercaillie Emergency Plan and informing adaptive management, while managing stakeholder queries. Discussions also covered a research and monitoring plan, highlighting the need for land manager engagement and data sharing, and the use of the Capercaillie Integrated Population Model to strengthen data collection and guide conservation efforts. Finally, there was an update on research actions in the Emergency Plan, focusing on pine marten populations, genetic lek surveys, and the feasibility of reinforcing the capercaillie population. The next meeting is scheduled for 23 September to discuss CaperMap and the Integrated Population Model.
Please be aware that this summary has been generated using AI.
