CLA Response to Deer Strategy Consultation

Deer numbers are estimated to be higher than they have ever been, at a time when Government have ambitions to reach and maintain unprecedented rates of new woodland creation.

Defra have therefore consulted on proposals for a Deer Management Strategy for England. CLA’s response sets out our views on this. It was shaped by comments from our Forestry and Woodland Committee and discussions with other stakeholders through the Deer Initiative partnership. Key points made include that:

• Growing deer populations need to be kept in balance with surrounding land uses, particularly to enable the establishment of much new woodland over the coming years
• Incentives should be provided to encourage collaborative deer control between groups of landowners and deer managers
• There is no need to amend legislation to enable more deer control to happen - rather the process to obtain licenses for out of season and night shooting should be streamlined, allowing more licenses to be issued under the existing legislation