Grazing Management on Designated Sites

Grazing is an important and indeed essential part of many of our valued natural heritage sites. At the appropriate levels, grazing and trampling can help to maintain habitat and species diversity, however, too much or too little grazing can present problems.

Since 2004 the Deer Commission for Scotland, Forestry Commission Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate have been working together with private land-owners and managers, public bodies and conservation organisations to address natural heritage sites impacted by deer and other grazing animals. The approach uses a combination of monitoring, advice, incentives and regulation.

The UK is obliged to ensure that habitats and species designated under European legislation continue to represent the best examples of the type. In addition, the Scottish Government has set challenging targets for the agencies for designated sites, requiring that 95% of special features are in favourable condition by March 2010. 
As part of the approach agreed by agencies in March 2004, sites for Joint Agency Working are being identified by an objective and transparent process focussing primarily on those sites most in need of attention. This consists of identifying sites with concerns, assessing sites and prioritising for action. Details of this process can be seen in the Agency Selection Process . Sites are considered for the agency selection process after the site goes through condition monitoring.
Site Condition Monitoring of designated sites carried out by SNH has provided a valuable check on the health of our nationally and internationally important sites, but has highlighted that grazing and trampling are frequently factors contributing to ‘unfavourable’ feature  condition. An unfavourable assessment is the first trigger that alerts us to the need to take a closer look at the management of the site.

The site then enters the Natural Heritage site audit process which examines all designated sites which fail the SCM process for potentially negative impacts attributable to wild deer, either on their own or in combination with other herbivores. The process looks at designated sites with interests that could be affected by grazing or trampling and assesses weather they need to join the Joint Working programme.