Natural England reports ongoing deer browsing management at Kingley Vale National Nature Reserve in West Sussex. The 147.9‑ha reserve, of which 99.1 ha is woodland, contains some of Europe’s oldest yew trees, many 500‑2,000 years old. Three deer species—roe, fallow and muntjac—browse heavily, threatening young trees. Management uses contract stalking, thermal drone surveys, and physical exclosures such as small timber cages and 3 m diameter flexi‑net enclosures to protect regeneration. The reserve also trials GPS‑enabled virtual fencing for cattle to reduce conflicts with deer. Funding comes from Natural England’s NNR and SSSI budgets, the Evidence Programme and the South Downs National Park. The goal is nature conservation and balanced grazing to support woodland health.
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Summary adapted from content licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
For details, see https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/.
Original source: https://www.gov.uk/
https://www.gov.uk/government/case-studies/managing-deer-populations-at-kingley-vale-national-nature-reserve
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