Loch Lomond venison on horizon as national park herbivore plan gathers momentum

The idea was put forward in a new five-year herbivore management plan launched by the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority (LLTNPA). The programme seeks to restore damaged habitats while supporting farmers, estates and local food production across the park.

Creating the “Loch Lomond Venison” brand has been considered as one way of keeping on top of deer numbers in the national park. The product would work alongside investment in community-based deer processing facilities intended to strengthen local food supply chains and create new markets for wild venison.

The LLTNPA is already investing in a network of upgraded larders and facilities across the park to improve access to affordable deer processing and support Scottish Quality Wild Venison accreditation.

The move follows mounting concern over grazing pressure on wildlife sites. LLTNPA officials said while domesticated herbivores, such as livestock, play a key role in the national park’s heritage, culture and economy, of the park’s 65 designated nature sites, 22 are currently classed as being in “unfavourable condition due largely to excessive grazing by deer, sheep and cattle.”

LLTNPA said that without a coordinated strategy, the national park faces the prospect of falling short of its long-term ecological restoration goals, potentially undermining conservation investment and Scotland’s wider ambitions to address climate change and biodiversity loss.

It is widely argued by conservationists that herbivore grazing is one of the leading pressures on biodiversity across Scotland and that it affects woodland regeneration, peatlands and fragile upland ecosystems. Meanwhile, some reports show that removing grazing entirely from upland areas could hinder climate goals by disturbing stable and climate-resilient form of soil carbon.

Studies have shown while ungrazed land often stores more visible carbon in plants and plant litter — the layer of dead organic material that accumulates on top of the soil surface — it can lose a more stable and far more important form of carbon hidden underground.

Simon Jones, director of environment and visitor services at the LLTNPA, said the new herbivore plan aimed to show that environmental recovery and rural livelihoods could go hand in hand.

“Our Herbivore Management Delivery Plan strongly demonstrates that Scotland is not facing a choice between people and nature, or between farming and the environment.

“Strong rural communities and healthy ecosystems can only truly thrive together. Some areas need more grazing, others less. The challenge is achieving the right balance across the national park’s unique landscape.”

As well as addressing grazing and exploring economic opportunities with venison, financial incentives and training schemes are on the go in the national park when it comes to deer management.

Thirty-three deer managers have already accessed training grants for reducing herd numbers, park officials said, while 26 landholdings have signed up to the new Deer Management Incentive Scheme, launched with NatureScot last year. The scheme gives payments of up to £100 per adult female or juvenile red, sika or fallow deer culled. Payments only start after a minimum cull threshold which is three deer per kilometre squared.

For many farmers within the national park boundary, the issue of deer management has been a regular concern when it comes to added pressures on the land they work on.

Shona Duncan, of Duncan Family Farms in East Loch Lomond, is hosting a newly funded community chiller trailer on her land after receiving training support through the scheme.

She said uncontrolled deer numbers had made farming increasingly difficult.

She said: “Through the East Loch Lomond Land Management Forum, it became clear there was a real issue with deer management locally, and one of the biggest constraints was the lack of a local larder that everyone could use.

“Because we had a deer problem on the farm, it made sense for us to support having one here.

“For us, it’s about reducing grazing pressure so we can protect our land and produce food more sustainably.

“Last year, we set aside land for an Agri-Environment scheme, but instead we had 70 or 80 red deer grazing it - probably the equivalent of 40 or 50 cattle.

“We’ve also had fences broken, dykes knocked down and crops damaged, which can make farming very difficult.

“As a landowner, it’s important to leave the land in good condition for the next generation. The new larder and support available should open up real opportunities for people to manage deer responsibly, while also benefiting the local community.”

Ministers say the approach offers an example of how conservation goals can be linked to local economic development.

Jim Fairlie, the Scottish agriculture minister, said: “Venison is a healthy and tasty meat and this is a really exciting opportunity to show how a community can benefit from responsible land management.

“When we prevent damage from overgrazing with good planning we can also ensure that the local food production chain, tourism and the wider rural economy benefit alongside nature.”

The plan was developed with Forestry and Land Scotland, NatureScot, Scottish Forestry and the Association of Deer Management Groups and focuses on collaboration between land managers, government agencies and local communities.

The LLTNPA said the herbivore plan will be reviewed annually with partners and stakeholders to incorporate new evidence and ensure continued collaboration and shared learning.

By 2030, national park officials said they hope the programme will deliver improved ecological conditions, including greater woodland regeneration, while supporting sustainable land management and rural economies.