The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Forestry Commission are today beginning a public consultation, on future strategies for managing wild deer in England.
Deer are our largest wild terrestrial animals and a much valued part of our natural heritage. In recent decades deer have flourished, and most of our wild deer species are increasing in numbers and geographical range. With a lack of natural predators, the management of the deer is an issue that we must address.
Deer, particularly at high densities, cause damage to agricultural crops, woodland, conservation sites and residential gardens, and can pose a public safety hazard, for example, by causing road traffic accidents. It is difficult to accurately quantify the economic impact of this damage. However, the costs of road traffic accidents may amount to around #10.5 million each year. More importantly, deer are also implicated in around 14-15 human fatalities on UK roads each year.
Responding to the growth in the deer population and deer related problems, the Government is to carry out a major review of deer management, focussing on the Government's role.
Minister for Nature Conservation, Ben Bradshaw, said:
"We want to ensure that we maintain a healthy, sustainable population of deer in England, while at the same time protecting rural economic interests, public safety and wider biodiversity concerns. To achieve this it is essential that we provide farmers, foresters and others who manage deer with a legal framework and expert advice fit for this purpose.
"This consultation is the opportunity for everyone involved or interested in deer management to contribute to this goal. The outcome will help shape deer management for the foreseeable future. "
