Scotland should harness the 'untapped skills' within its game management sector to help achieve its net zero carbon ambitions.

According to Alex Hogg MBE, chairman of the Scottish Gamekeepers Association, its members, numbering 5300 in Scotland, have already managed a million deer in a decade, helping to protect habitats, forests and food crops. This habitat protection, free of subsidy, represents more deer management than any other single entity in Scotland and will be increasingly necessary if the country is to meet its tree planting targets.

“Anyone who thinks country sports employees are at the opposite end from climate solutions are ignoring an amazing delivery mechanism,” said Mr Hogg.

 

red deer

red deer

 

“The direct employment of 4400 people is more than a third larger than the Government’s own nature advisory service, NatureScot, plus the entire employment roll of the wealthiest Scottish conservation NGOs put together. Contained within that workforce are practical skillsets and knowledge which ScotGov would struggle to source anywhere else in Europe.

“Scotland currently benefits from this resource, funded not by constrained public finances, but by visitors who enjoy these activities which, in turn, pays for a range of climate actions over extended habitats, from wetlands, woodlands and mountains to riverbanks," said Mr Hogg. “I urge MSPs from all parties to think hard about that talent pool and to engage with this asset, in the days ahead of COP26- and beyond, to help deliver the NetZero ambition.

"It would be a national error to overlook centuries of boots-on-the-ground knowledge and know-how embedded within our own people.”