Day out at Balmoral a deer experience for children

Primary school children visited Balmoral Estate on 14th March as part of a project to learn about deer and venison. Seventy-five students from Crathie, Ballater and Braemar Primary Schools spent the day at the estate, and met estate stalkers and staff from the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) and the Deer Commission for Scotland (DCS).

Some of the activities the students took part in throughout the day including learning about deer tracks and signs, stalking an ‘iron deer’, visiting the larder to see how venison is processed, and sampling venison burgers. In a follow-up to this fun-filled day, a cook will go into the three schools for a demonstration and tasting on 27 March.

The project aims to increase the students’ understanding about deer and their management and stress the importance of local, healthy produce.

Will Boyd Wallis, the CNPA’s Deer and Uplands Officer, said: “Deer management, and indeed venison, is an important part of the land use, history and culture of the Park. This project will not only allow the children a better understanding of the issues affecting deer management, but hopefully get them interested as well. We might even meet some of our future deer stalkers!”

Alistair MacGugan, DCS Director of Stakeholder Relations, said: “This hands-on day is a fantastic way to show these young students the skills needed to manage deer effectively, as well as revealing how much deer matter to Scotland’s natural environment and our quality of life. It also gives the children a chance to sample a tasty venison burger.”

This is a joint venture between Balmoral Estate, the Deer Commission For Scotland and Cairngorms National Park Authority. The day is linked to the Supporting Sustainable Deer Management Priority for Action in the Cairngorms National Park Plan, a document which sets out the Park’s short and longer term future. For more information, see www.cairngorms.co.uk.