The almost-90,000-hectare Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) was covered by a formal deer control agreement between landowners and Scottish Government agency NatureScot.
This agreement has now come to an end after six years of operation, with cull targets having been met and continued improvement recorded across the site, which is also a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).
Herbivore impact assessments have found “significantly” reduced degradation of the landscape since 2013, with 88 per cent of plots registering either low or moderate/low browsing damage.
Red deer have an adverse affect on nature restoration (Image: NQ)
Meanwhile, more than three quarters of the land surveyed fell into the lower categories for trampling impacts.
The North Ross Deer Management Group (DMG) is now developing a future deer management plan to support the continued improvement of the site.
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James Hall, chair of the North Ross DMG, said: “The North Ross group has been working with partners on the Beinn Dearg designated site for many years, with focused deer culls completed by the land managers in the group, supported on occasion by NatureScot.
“This has been done under a voluntary agreement reflecting a common interest in habitat improvement across the area.
“The group will continue to manage deer numbers and to further improve our understanding of what impacts wild deer behaviour around the site, including gaining a better understanding of human interactions in this popular walking and mountaineering area.”
He added: “We are keen to work with a range of interests in an effort to protect this Site of Special Scientific Interest, whilst also recognising that the site requires a degree of herbivore activity, in terms of grazing of the special grasses, to ensure they survive and thrive.”
Red deer stag (Image: Lorne Gill/NatureScot)
Chris Donald, NatureScot’s head of operations for Central Highland, said: “The progress made in North Ross is a great example of collaboration and cooperation between private land managers and the public sector.
“Deer stalkers and the deer management group have made this agreement a great success, working together to help the special habitats of this area recover.
“We’ll continue to support the North Ross Deer Management Group to develop their new deer management plan. This will be a long-term commitment to ensure deer management reflects habitat condition, contributes towards meeting nature and climate targets, and also benefits the deer population in that area.”