Article first published in:
Wicklow Mountain Views – The Newsletter of the Wicklow Uplands Council.
Issue No. 31 – Winter 2022
Conclusion of the Deer Management Project
With sightings of wild deer far from their natural woodland or upland habitats, now a daily occurrence throughout county Wicklow, the issue of how to better manage their ever-expanding population has been the subject of much discussion for a number of years.
With no natural predator on the island, Ireland’s deer population is widely considered to have grown to unsustainable levels in parts of the country, with Wicklow and perhaps the Dublin Uplands too, the region most affected.
In response to the multiple issues arising from their presence , government funding for “the provision of Deer Management Services in the County Wicklow Region” was made available. Following an open tender process, the ‘County Wicklow Deer Management Project’, which sought to create a strategic and sustainable management plan to address the challenges, was officially launched in 2018.
Managed by Wicklow Uplands Council in conjunction with the Wicklow Deer Management Partnership (WDMP), it set out to achieve an ambitious set of objectives including the creation of a framework that collected field data on an ongoing basis to better inform decision-making and the implementation of various actions to address both local and regional challenges.
Jointly funded by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the then Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaelteacht, the three-year pilot project sought to also build and deliver a response that mitigated against the negative impacts such as ecological damage and economic loss. However, its principal aim was to find a management approach that maintained a healthy deer population that was in natural balance with its environment.
Although initially planned to conclude in 2021, some of the work understandably had to be curtailed during Covid Measures, resulting in an extension of its duration until March of this year. Now completed, the final report will share the many findings and recommendations emanating from the delivery of the project. Currently, a short synopsis of the headings is possible, with greater detail to be found upon the report’s publication.
Firstly, critical to the project’s overall success was its structure of establishing Deer Management Units (DMU’s) in locations where the impacts of substantial populations were known to exist. With a multi-stakeholder collaborative approach in mind, each unit consisted of landowners, hunters and other interested parties committed to collectively creating and implementing an agreed management plan specific to their area. Owing to great interest in the project, a total of five units were established, two in west Wicklow around the Manor Kilbride area, two in the south and one in the east of the county.
Each led from the bottom-up, the entire project was professionally coordinated through the appointment of a highly qualified Project Manager, Pat Mellon, whose role was vital in providing oversight, support and guidance. The report notes that to ensure ongoing engagement with the diverse range of stakeholders to achieve numerous deliverables, a similar role would certainly be needed for any future initiatives. The report also found that deer management plans developed by each DMU, were essential to underpinning the long-term objectives.
The collecting of data to build a better understanding of numbers, population health, grazing habits and any noticeable impact deer were having on conservation habitats and biodiversity, were recorded throughout the project using field tests and observations.
The true economic impact of deer grazing in areas outside of their natural habitats, although difficult to quantify within the scope of this project, it is clear that damage to commercial forestry and agricultural grassland is widespread.
Sika females and fawns photographed on The Spinc in the Wicklow Mountains National Park
One field test deployed in all DMUs, was the laying of special metal cages onto grassland to enable the measurement of grazing activities by comparing yields from inside the protected areas, with the areas outside of them – a methodology discussed and approved by Teagasc in advance.
Native and broadleaf trees are particularly vulnerable to deer damage through browsing, ring-barking, fraying and bole scoring. The project recognised the need for more detailed research into the impact of deer on sensitive conservation habitats and associated biodiversity, for example. trampling, browsing and so forth.
A TB testing pilot initiated by the project, recorded an incidence rate of 16.6% in suspect deer samples sent for analysis. The objective of this hunter-level surveillance pilot was to determine usefulness to identify hot spots of TB in deer. The results proved that this surveillance model could be used to successfully identify ‘hotspot locations’, and merit further investigation for disease control, and importantly, could easily be introduced to other locations.
If culling activities were required, a greater focus on adult females delivered the most effective long-term results. The project also saw a welcome increase to the out-of-season deer control measures under Section 42 licensing. It was also noted that landowners should give greater consideration to the leasing of hunting rights to ensure an appropriate approach is in place. This relationship should include the sharing and collection of accurate data between landowners and hunters.
Embracing technologies such as the smartphone app SMARTDEER and the HAMS (Habitat Area Management System) used by Coillte and more widely across Europe, or indeed a single integrated system for all stakeholders, presents a significant opportunity to monitor the national deer population in real time.
The report also noted the issue of animal welfare due to grazing pressures and the often-underreported problem of road traffic accidents and collisions involving roaming deer.
With part of the sustainable model requiring selective culling, the project suggests that the demand for venison as a food source may be assisted by promoting it as a healthy, sustainably- sourced meat choice.
Additionally, and in support of this regional work being undertaken, the report recommends the National Deer Management Forum be reformed as a matter of urgency.
It is clear from the findings of the final report, that a long-term, well-resourced and coordinated project is certainly required to properly address the many issues highlighted. Substantial work has been achieved since 2018 and the Project Steering Group is very keen to build upon the knowledge gained and the structures formed during the term of the project. It is actively seeking funding to provide continuation of service and to capitalise on the successful conclusion of this pilot project.
Details of the publication of the County Wicklow Deer Management Project’s Final Report will be made in due course.
– Photos featured in this article appear courtesy of Chris Bolton.
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