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Tradeable hunting obligations - a new approach to regulating red deer numbers in the Scottish Highlands?

MacMillan, Douglas C. (2004) Tradeable hunting obligations - a new approach to regulating red deer numbers in the Scottish Highlands? Journal of Environmental Management, 71 (3). pp. 261-270. ISSN 0301-4797. (doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2004.03.005) (Access to this publication is currently restricted. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided) (KAR id:8551)

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2004.03.005

Abstract

The population of red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Scotland has doubled over the last 30 years and there is increasing concern among conservationists about the long-term impact of increased grazing on native woodlands and other sensitive nature conservation sites. Currently, the government relies on a voluntary approach to deer control, but landowners seem unable or unwilling to shoot sufficient numbers to meet cull targets. The aim of this paper is to examine alternatives to the ‘voluntary approach’ supported by insights from a mail questionnaire of landowners and recreational hunters. In principle, subsidies or taxation is possible but the Deer Commission for Scotland, the government agency responsible, has neither the necessary funding or the legislative power to introduce such a scheme. A tradable culling ‘obligations’ system on the other hand would build on the voluntary principle by allowing individual landowners to ‘trade’ culling obligations to neighbouring estates. Compared to traditional regulatory approaches, they are less bureaucratic and inefficient and have the potential to meet environmental targets at least cost as landowners can trade their culling obligation to another estate or hunting club should they wish to do so. Overall, the State's role would be restricted to setting the annual cull and the administration of the permit system for which a small charge could be levied per deer.

Item Type: Article
DOI/Identification number: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2004.03.005
Uncontrolled keywords: Deer; Management; Trade; Obligations; Hunting
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GE Environmental Sciences
G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GN Anthropology
Divisions: Divisions > Division of Human and Social Sciences > School of Anthropology and Conservation > DICE (Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology)
Depositing User: Douglas MacMillan
Date Deposited: 03 Oct 2008 09:36 UTC
Last Modified: 16 Nov 2021 09:46 UTC
Resource URI: https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/8551 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)

University of Kent Author Information

MacMillan, Douglas C..

Creator's ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2573-5049
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