WS1 and WS3 Grant Applications - Initial thoughts

I’ve been supporting a woodland management company over the last couple of weeks in getting the draft proposals together to apply for WS1 and WS3 (deer and grey squirrel managements). These grants are supplementary to the WD2 (woodland support grant). Around 800 Hectares of woodland spread across 3 estates.

There is quite a bit invovled in getting the initial proposal together and ensuring that the objectives of the woodland management plan align with the deer and grey squirrel plans. Each of the deer plans cover 3 different species of deer, each of which have different behaviours and impacts on the habitat and woodland. They also represent differnet challenges for those delivering the cull. Incorporating all the various and often competing factors into a cohesive and deliverable plan that stands up to scrutiny by those administering the government grants is fine line to tread. With £90/Ha for WS1 and £50/Ha for WS3, the financial incentive is there.

Going forward and once the grants have been approved, the real work will then begin. The surveys, plan management, achievement of culls, and record keeping have definatly stepped up from that previously expected, as has the financial liabtiliy of not getting it right. I am looking forward to seeing how these plans develop as there is now good financial support in place to support the work needed to manage deer and grey squirrels at population levels that the habitat can support whilst maximising the conservation value. Cull plans can now be driven by more accurate data collected from habitat studies and population estimates using a range of ecology science techniqes.