Financial support

The Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) is the Scottish Government’s main programme of financial support for rural Scotland.

SRDP schemes include the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS).

You must contact a NatureScot Wildlife Management Officer for advice before submitting an application. Please use the regional NatureScot SRDP mailboxes on the SRDP page.

Moorland Management option

The Moorland Management option aims to benefit a range of moorland habitats, by maintaining appropriate levels of wild and domestic stock. It is also intended to protect sensitive peatland areas at risk of soil erosion from herbivore trampling and vehicle tracking. This is an entry option for all upland management schemes. You must prepare and submit for approval a moorland management plan which will detail current deer numbers, their locations and current and proposed deer cull targets.

Additional support

Where deer are affecting designated sites, the following additional support is available.

Open-range Deer Management

Open-range Deer Management aims to support the extra effort that is required to reduce deer numbers to an agreed level.

Upland Habitat Impact Assessment for Deer Management

Upland Habitat Impact Assessment for Deer Management supports the planning and implementation of Habitat Impact Assessments.

This deer management assessment can be used to:

• provide baseline information to inform management decisions
• check the effectiveness of management practices (when carried out every 3 to 5 years)

Deer Census – Helicopter Counts

Deer Census – Helicopter Counts supports the counting of wild deer numbers by helicopter and the recording of their locations. This assessment can be carried out every 3 to 5 years to check the effectiveness of management practices.

This option must be combined with the Upland Habitat Impact Assessment for Deer Management.