The National Trust for Scotland must use fences to protect young trees on its Mar Lodge Estate rather than simply slaughtering deer, as it does at present, a report commissioned by the trust itself recommends.
The report, drawn up by Colin Edwards, a Forestry Commission expert, was completed in December 2009 but has yet to be published. However, a copy seen by The Times makes it clear that the trust’s present policy, of culling deer herds instead of erecting fences, will not be enough to allow for the regeneration of trees, including the ancient Caledonian pine forest.
The trust has a long-term plan to restore the natural habitat of the 29,000 hectares of the estate in the Cairngorms, which relies heavily on intensive deer culling.