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SAVING THE CAPERCAILLIE IN STRATHSPEY |
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SAVING THE CAPERCAILLIE IN STRATHSPEY |
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The threat of forest fences ·
Outlook in January 2001 ·
Special Protection Areas in Strathspey ·
The threat of housing developments The Threat of Forest Fences Dr
Robert Moss the UK’s
leading scientific authority on capercaillie has published much in the
scientific literature on capercaillie. He is senior author of a paper (Capercaillie
Tetrao urogallus in Scotland - demography of a declining population) for
the international journal of avian science produced by the British
Ornithologists Union IBIS (see www.ibis.ac.uk).
His Ibis paper looks at how capercaillie numbers declined in Scottish
forests between 1992 and 1997 and reported: “Juvenile survival was less than adult survival, largely because
juveniles were more likely to die from hitting fences. Although poor
reproduction was probably the main cause of the decline, this might not
have occurred had fence strikes been substantially fewer.” In recent years BSCG has been active in making the case for
taking down fencing and avoiding damaging new deer fences in Badenoch
and Strathspey at such sites as Glen Feshie and the edge of Craigmore
Wood. The following is from an article
written for BSCG by Dr Robert Moss. It appeared in BSCG’s newsletter
‘Pinelog’ in 2000, under the title ‘Extinction of capercaillie by
forest fences’:
“There were an estimated 20,000 capercaillie in Scotland in the 1970s,
but there are now only about 1000. If the present rate of decline
continues, they will be effectively extinct in 10-15 years. There are two main reasons for the decline. First, the bird is rearing
fewer young than in the 1970s. Second, the adult birds’ main single
cause of death is flying into forest fences. The scientific evidence
shows that, with no deaths from fences, the decline could be reversed. The reduced production of young is probably due largely to climate
change. There is not much that forest managers can do about climate
change. They can, however, help capercaillie to rear more young by legal
control of predators and by appropriate management of the forest
habitat. Another way to help is to remove forest fences. Indeed, because forest
fences are causing the extinction of capercaillie in Scotland, they are
illegal under the EU Birds Directive. Unfortunately, the Scottish
Executive, the Forestry Commission and SNH speciously argue that fences
would be illegal only if they were intended to kill capercaillie. In
Scottish law, ‘intent’ is equivalent to ‘foreknowledge of
consequences’ and so the killing of capercaillie by forest fences is
intentional. While the Scottish Executive procrastinates, birds are
dying unnecessarily. Fences
are mainly to control the movement of red deer. Deer can be controlled
without fences, by shooting. However, many land managers want high
densities of deer because they get an income from stalking. They say
that high densities of deer are needed to provide their stalking clients
with guaranteed targets. But the commercial stalking of red deer is
often done at a loss to the estate. One reason for maintaining
uneconomic stalking is that the capital value of an estate is determined
partly by the number of deer shot per annum. Therefore, a degraded
estate overstocked with underfed deer, can be worth more than one that
is managed sustainably. In
short, the irrational conventions that underly the mismanagement of red
deer in Scotland are contributing to the extinction of the capercaillie. Most forest fences have been erected with the aid of grants from the
Forestry Commission, who disburse taxpayers’ money. A reasonable way
forward would be for the Forestry Commission to use our money to
subsidise deer management by stalking rather than by fencing. This is
already happening in a small way. As ever with land use problems, there are many conflicting interests. We
know the problem and the solution. If we can learn from the example of
estates that already manage deer without forest fences, the capercaillie
may have a chance.” ****** Since
this article was written a major application for funding that would
include financial support for the removal of fences in core capercaillie
areas has been submitted by RSPB and others. BSCG hopes this initiative
will be successful in the race against time to provide a future for this
UK priority species in Scotland. The
following excerpts are from an article dated 15 January 2001 by
Dr Robert Moss. This appeared
in ‘Pinelog’ the newsletter of BSCG (February 2001): “The last year of the old
century was somewhat better for capercaillie. They reared hardly any
chicks in 1997-99 but some good broods were reported in 2000. Chick
production was not enough to reverse the decline, but it gives hope for
the future, especially if forest managers put their minds to helping the
bird. The Forestry Commission have radically revised their
attitude to the forest fences that have done so much damage to woodland
grouse. Within capercaillie core areas their new draft guidelines have a
presumption against fencing unless a case can be made for a fence. Core
areas are defined on maps drawn up by the Forestry Commission at the
request of the Capercaillie Steering Group. This change in the
guidelines seems to be working on the ground. The
down side on fencing is that many of the fences that did the damage are
still in place. Also, some planting permissions that involve grant aid
and fences have been given in the last few years and are still extant.
It is to be hoped that forest managers and statutory bodies can work
together to revise these mistaken plans and avoid new fences. A
few dafties are still arguing that fences had nothing to do with the
decline because there were once lots of capercaillie and lots of fences.
Fortunately, most people now understand the situation. Poor breeding
success has been the primary cause of the decline. The effect of fence
deaths is to increase the number of chicks that must be reared to
maintain the population. If we can stop fence deaths, the bird has a
chance even with its current poor breeding success. If fence deaths and
poor breeding both continue at the rates observed in the 1990s, the bird
will be extinct in a decade or so.
Methods
of snaring recently introduced by estates that should know better is a
new cause for concern. Supposedly intended for foxes, hundreds of snares
are set throughout a wood in such a way that hardly any animal of any
size is safe. Such practices are unacceptable and in my opinion illegal.
Snares should be used in an intelligent and targeted fashion, as
traditionally practiced by good keepers. The
Scottish Executive seem to be more concerned about avoiding infraction
proceedings (a reprimand from the EU) than about helping capercaillie.
Despite several invitations to join the Capercaillie Steering Group,
they have steadfastly declined to send a representative. Instead, they
spent time and money commissioning an unnecessary report without
formally consulting the Steering Group, who could have told them what
they needed to know immediately and for nothing.” ****** Update - Special Protection Areas for Capercaillie in Strathspey. Too little too late? Since
February 2001, when we requested information on what scientific
information Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) lacked for declaring
Craigmore Wood a Special Protection Area (SPA), BSCG has been urging SNH
to include Craigmore Wood within a SPA for capercaillie. We know that
this wood is of particular importance for our capercaillie in Scotland
and is used by capercaillie from the Abernethy SPA, one of the first
SPAs for capercaillie in the UK. We
therefore welcomed it when, at the end of 2001, the decision was taken
to designate Craigmore Wood as an SPA for capercaillie. However we
remain concerned that this SPA needs to be extended to include the
woodland corridor between Abernethy SPA and Craigmore. This corridor
includes good habitat for capercaillie and an important pinewood on the
Ancient and Semi Natural Woodland register. Regarding this woodland corridor BSCG has commented: “The fragmentation of habitat has serious
implications for capercaillie conservation. Movement of birds between
woods is crucial to the long-term survival of the species and is well
documented in both directions between Abernethy and Craigmore. It is
doubtful whether Craigmore can sustain its capercaillie population in
isolation. It also appears that woodland habitat connecting Craigmore
and Abernethy is important for the population that the two SPAs is
intended to help conserve. We strongly
recommend that Culstank Moss, School Wood, Balnagowan and Sliemore Woods
should be included in the SPA designation. Apart from the habitat
provided by these woodlands being valuable in its own right, these
strategically placed woods need to be appropriately managed to
facilitate free movement within the population.”
Excerpt from letter to SNH (October 2001). ****** BSCG
would also like to see some further SPAs for capercaillie in our
district and we share concerns of those who have pointed out that the
network of SPAs for capercaillie in Scotland is currently inadequate. In
Pinelog February 2001 Dr Robert Moss commented
“Unfortunately, the SPAs themselves have been drawn up mainly for
bureaucratic convenience and apparently with little thought for the
distribution of capercaillie. In the Cairngorms SPA, for example, vast
tracts of open hill and moorland that are not used by capercaillie are
included, yet some of the best capercaillie habitat on the fringes of
the Cairngorms has been excluded.”
Craigmore Wood and School Wood near Nethybridge, Curr
Wood near Dulnain Bridge where BSCG drew attention to the problems of
permission being given for excessive felling operations in 2001,
and woods near Boat of Garten are examples of good capercaillie habitat
where there is or has been a need for more conservation aware policies.
The threat of new housing development, especially new houses for the
retirement and second home market, is a serious conservation issue in
Badenoch and Strathspey and the proposed Cairngorms National Park. The
woods near Boat of Garten and School Wood are both zoned for housing in
Highland Council’s Local Plan, which was approved when capercaillie
was less threatened with extinction. BSCG considers this should be
resisted if conservation efforts for capercaillie and other priority
species are not to be undermined. BSCG will continue to press for
greater recognition of the urgent need for the designation of more
realistic sized areas for SPAs for capercaillie and reconsideration of
allocation of precious woodland sites for housing.
****** THREAT
OF HOUSING DEVELOPMENT
Capercaillie
is one of the species seriously threatened by proposals for housing in
School Wood, Nethybridge. (BSCG objected to the designation of this wood
for housing when the Local Plan was produced several years ago).
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