Introduce new deer legislation which will modernise the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996 and introduce new powers for intervention for the purposes of enhancing or restoring nature, including preventing biodiversity loss.
Objective 1: Accelerate ecosystem restoration and regeneration
Priority Action 5. Substantially reduce deer densities across our landscapes in parallel with ensuring sustainable management of grazing by sheep to improve overall ecosystem health
The Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 introduces new provisions to amend the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996, strengthening NatureScot’s powers to intervene in deer management for nature restoration.
These include new powers (such as sections 6ZA and 6ZB) enabling action at a landscape scale to support habitat recovery and address biodiversity loss linked to high deer densities.
The legislation was informed by a public consultation held between January and March 2024, which showed support for stronger deer management powers, including measures related to deer welfare and regulation.
NatureScot now has strengthened statutory powers under the Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026 to intervene in deer management where high densities are preventing habitat recovery and contributing to biodiversity loss. This represents a shift from largely voluntary deer management towards a more interventionist legal framework, enabling action at landscape scale to support woodland regeneration, peatland restoration, and wider ecosystem recovery.
Evidence from consultation responses shows broad support for stronger deer control measures, reflecting recognition that existing approaches have not been sufficient to reduce ecological pressure in key habitats. However, ecological outcomes will depend on the extent and speed of implementation, as well as operational capacity to deliver sustained reductions in deer impacts across priority landscapes.
If fully implemented, the new powers could significantly improve habitat condition and connectivity by enabling natural regeneration and reducing long-term browsing pressure, particularly in woodland and upland systems.
Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2026
Scottish Government – Managing deer in Scotland consultation (2024)
Managing deer in Scotland consultation analysis (2024)
NatureScot – Deer management guidance
Attain deer cull at level at which habitats and ecosystems can recover and regenerate, and where deer densities are maintained at sustainable levels. This is done by increasing the national cull by 25-30% (from 200,000 – 250,000) sustained over several years; achieving densities of 5-8 deer per km² in each of the DMG’s in the Cairngorms National Park; and, low deer densities of around 2 deer per…
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