Great thought provoking video. This information needs to be more widely distributed. There are thoughts that all Scotland can sustain unlimited tree cover. Not true there are areas that are just not suitable for trees.
What a fascinating programme; wish I'd seen it earlier as I could have discussed it with the stalker I had last time out; I THINK what I take from this is; 1. They should put that gentleman in charge of wildlife at Holyrood (Westminster ?) 2. As I suspected the 'carbon offset' is in many cases a publicly funded racket-can't do other than add to 'acidification' in my view (that seems to have gone out of fashion as a topic !) As an aside I don't think anything done in the UK will make a gnat's of difference anyway so let's just manage our wild lands as history has taught us- Mid Wales included ! Thanks anyway-Tom
Put fencing around trees to protect them from deer until they're well established, since Scotland lacks the predators needed to keep the deer moving. Using dogs to move the deer along helps the trees, too. The deer actually help restore habitat for the trees. You can have both...
If Dr Cathy Mayne was a teacher (and she maybe should be for our SEN policy makers), you know she would have no nonsense in her classroom. She is really very good.
On the pest control point, I think estates that don't go mad, and aren't sandwiched in between the Scandi green zealots and LFS ground, they can still have viable deer stalking which people will pay a premium for because it is more scarce. Fewer opportunities to shoot in Scotland = higher price tag. The downside is there will be less opportunity for those that aren't quite as well heeled as the Scandi-greens that are buying up vast tracts of the country.
The UK is one of the most nature deprived countries, and continues to loose habitats. The idea that any part of Scotland is wild is a joke. No predators and forrests that are the size of a parking lots. Historical and ecological evidence is conclusive about how large the old growth forest were, before they were clear cut and huge estates were created. Rewilding has the potential to transform Scotland back to its formerly wild self. Its such a shame to have experienced actuall wilderness with grizzlies and wolves, then to come to the UK and see the current conditions. That people see it as normal and the way it "should" be.
