Aberdeen deer group joins Common Ground Accord 

A deer management group in Aberdeenshire is the first in Scotland to sign the Common Ground Accord. 

The Accord is a set of principles drawn up by the Common Ground Forum (CGF), a Scottish network of deer managers who are committed to consensus-building and collaboration within the sector. It pledges to respect a range of land management objectives and engage with others while working for mutually beneficial solutions. 

The Upper Deeside and Donside Land Management Group (UDDLMG) has become the first constituted deer management group to sign up to the Accord. The group comprises 17 cross-sector land managers who work together to manage deer interests in an area covering a quarter of the Cairngorms National Park. 

Mark Nicholson, owner of Mar Estate and UDDLMG member, said: “There has been much heat in the past few years about whether there are too many deer or too few deer in some places, with socio-economic and environmental objectives sometimes being seen to clash. 

“The discussion often underplays the ability of people to work together. The group provides a place to understand deer populations and movements, identify conflicts and resolve them.”