\n Loch Choire Estate in Sutherland allowed its deer population to reach such levels that in 2023, NatureScot stepped in to cull dozens of the \u00adanimals in order to prevent further impacts to rare peatlands, woodlands and other habitats, with taxpayers footing the bill.\n<\/p>\n
\n But the issue persisted and, in April last year, the Scottish \u00ad Government \u00adapproved an unprecedented \u00adcompulsory deer control scheme which legally requires the \u00adestate to thin its herd.\n<\/p>\n
\n READ MORE: Labour slammed for ‘cock up’ which will see Scottish city’s funding ‘slashed’<\/a>\n<\/p>\n \n In high numbers, deer damage sites by trampling over and eating too much vegetation. At Loch Choire, the animals threaten four protected sites of special scientific interest (\u00adSSSIs). In November, we revealed that nearly 300 protected areas are being harmed or put under pressure by the \u00adoverpopulation of deer.\n<\/p>\n \n Now, we can disclose that the West Midlands firm which owns Loch Choire estate, More Works Holdings, controlled by Shropshire \u00adbusinessman Jonathan Greenall, has received vast sums of public money.\n<\/p>\n \n An MSP said the subsidies were \u201cunacceptable\u201d in light of the \u00addispute, and argued that state handouts must come with \u201cclear conditions\u201d to \u00adsafeguard the natural environment.\n<\/p>\n \n Data we obtained via Freedom of Information shows that More Works claimed \u00a31,483,000 in \u00adrural \u00adsubsidies administered by the \u00adScottish \u00adGovernment between 2017 and 2025 \u2013 \u00a3467,000 of which was awarded \u00adafter NatureScot warned the firm about the threat deer posed to the SSSIs.\n<\/p>\n \n The vast majority \u2013 nearly \u00a31.3m \u2013 was part of funding set up to support the \u201cdevelopment and viability\u201d of its forests.\n<\/p>\n \n A further \u00a385,000 came from \u201cbasic payments\u201d, which provide \u201ca safety net for farmers and crofters\u201d, and around \u00a342,000 consisted of \u201c\u00adgreening\u201d \u00adpayments, which aim to \u00adincentivise more environmentally friendly \u00adfarming.\n<\/p>\n \n Separate data from Scottish \u00adForestry shows that \u00a3139,000 of the government subsidies awarded in 2021 was earmarked to put up \u00ad\u00ad fences designed to contain deer at Loch Choire.\n<\/p>\n \n \u201cScottish Forestry has one \u00adapproved contract concerning deer fencing with More Works \u00adHoldings for Loch Choire woodland \u00adcreation,\u201d said a spokesperson. \u201cThe \u00adfencing was needed to protect native \u00adwoodland \u00adregeneration and planting. On the last inspection in 2023, the fencing \u00adinfrastructure had all been carried out in accordance with the grant \u00adconditions.\u201d\n<\/p>\n \n NatureScot said it first warned More Works about the threats deer posed to protected areas in 2022.\n<\/p>\n \n The following year, the Shropshire firm benefitted from 100% business<\/a> rates relief on its deer forest from Highland Council<\/a> in 2023, saving it \u00a311,200. In the same year, \u00adNatureScot spent \u00a317,000 culling some of the \u00adestate\u2019s deer herd in order to protect the SSSIs.\n<\/p>\n \n The importance of peatlands LOCH Choire estate is home to \u00adglobally rare blanket bog peatlands. Some 13% of the world\u2019s \u00adblanket bog is in the UK, and most of it can be found in Scotland.\n<\/p>\n \n These wetland ecosystems hold vast amounts of carbon when healthy, and also form more peat, thereby adding to the carbon they store. In Scotland, peatlands hold most of our stored carbon \u2013 1.6 billion tonnes, or an \u00adestimated equivalent of 140 years\u2019 worth of the country\u2019s total annual greenhouse gas emissions \u2013 \u00adaccording to NatureScot.\n<\/p>\n \n But if harmed, peatlands can \u00adrelease their stored carbon, \u00adcontributing to the climate crisis. NatureScot says an estimated 80% of Scottish peatlands are damaged.\n<\/p>\n \n Healthy peatlands also absorb \u00adpollutants such as sulphur \u00addioxide, nitrogen and heavy metals, and have many other environmental and \u00adecological benefits<\/a>. Much of \u00adScotland\u2019s drinking water filters through from peatland areas, which improve its quality.\n<\/p>\n \n They also provide habitats for other wildlife, maintain steady water flows in salmon rivers and reduce flood risks downstream, NatureScot says.\n<\/p>\n \n Given the importance of \u00adpeatlands, overgrazing from livestock and deer, and practices that require the \u00addrainage of these habitats \u201cmust be avoided\u201d, it warns.\n<\/p>\n \n The four Loch Choire SSSIs \u00adinclude Ben Klibreck, which has the special designation due to its peatland, geology, alpine heath, lochs and woodland.\n<\/p>\n \n The Mallart SSSI is made up of blanket bog, home to otters and birds, including wood sandpiper, golden eagle, hen harrier, merlin and red-throated diver.\n<\/p>\n \n Truderscaig is a key site for greenshank to breed, while the Skinsdale Peatlands also play host to breeding populations of the bird, as well as dunlin and golden plover.\n<\/p>\n \n READ MORE: Hunger strike protesters target major bank over links to Israeli arms firm<\/a>\n<\/p>\n \n Deer and Loch Choire NATURESCOT last year told More Works that Ben Klibreck, Mallart and Truderscaig were \u201cin \u00adunfavourable declining condition and exhibiting damage by deer\u201d.\n<\/p>\n \n In November, The Ferret \u00adrevealed that nearly 300 protected areas were being damaged or put under \u00adpressure by Scotland\u2019s rampant deer \u00adpopulation, including Ben Nevis, Glen Coe, both national parks, and the critically rare Caledonian forest.\n<\/p>\n \n Deer control is voluntary, rather than compulsory, but NatureScot has the power to cull deer on behalf of non-compliant \u00adlandowners \u201cwhen necessary to protect our \u00adnatural \u00adheritage\u201d.\n<\/p>\n \n It did so in 2023, killing 160 deer at Loch Choire. This cost taxpayer\u00ad-funded NatureScot \u00a325,000, minus \u00a38000 it recouped in venison sales. NatureScot\u2019s intervention was backed by both deer management groups and environmentalists.\n<\/p>\n \n A census at the estate carried out in the winter of 2022 found there to be 13.9 deer per square kilometre (sq km).\n<\/p>\n \n The Scottish Government<\/a> \u00adaccepted a recommendation from the \u00adindependent Deer Working Group that there should be no more than 10 red deer per sq km in large open areas in the Highlands. But it added that appropriate densities can vary depending on the area.\n<\/p>\n \n The John Muir Trust says that, \u201cbroadly speaking\u201d, more than five deer per sq km prevent natural \u00adwoodland regeneration, while \u00adexceeding eight per sq km risks \u00addamage to peatlands.\n<\/p>\n \n NatureScot wants the Loch Choire deer population to be thinned to 7.5 per sq km by 2028.\n<\/p>\n \n In the shooting season that \u00adfollowed NatureScot\u2019s intervention, the estate upped its culling activity. In a letter sent in March 2024 to the estate\u2019s owner, NatureScot welcomed the killing of nearly 200 deer, but said the efforts would not be enough to curtail damage.\n<\/p>\n \n The wildlife agency told More Works it had \u201csought an agreement to deliver sustainable culls\u201d, but claimed the firm had \u201cconsistently not responded\u201d.\n<\/p>\n \n In April, Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie MSP approved a compulsory deer control scheme at the estate \u2013 the first time one has ever been used \u2013 in order to protect the SSSIs. \u00adNatureScot said it would use the \u00adpowers as \u201ca last resort\u201d.\n<\/p>\n \n Subsidies \u2018unacceptable\u2019 SCOTTISH Environment<\/a> LINK is a coalition of over 50 green groups. Its deer group backs new powers for NatureScot to intervene and reduce deer numbers, as set out in the \u00adnatural environment bill passing through the Scottish Parliament.\n<\/p>\n \n \u201cAt present, NatureScot only has powers to prevent deer damage, and then has only used their compulsory powers to reduce deer numbers once \u2013 at Loch Choire \u2013 since they came into force in 1996,\u201d claimed a spokesperson.\u00ad This had been an \u201cabject failure, and has cost the public large amounts of money,\u201d they alleged. \u201cNatureScot urgently needs new workable powers to reduce deer numbers to protect our best wildlife sites and must then use them where needed\u201d.\n<\/p>\n