How often do you spot deer where you live? Rarely to never, most likely. It’s a very different story in and around the Cairngorms national park in Scotland, where an abundance of the animals has resulted in damage to the land and a growing perception of the animal as a pest.
But now a new project spearheaded by the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA), is using this venison overflow to benefit locals. The ‘deer larder’ initiative will see wild venison being regularly donated to food banks and local schools, as well as opening up a carbon-friendly local market for the meat: in a bid for it to become financially self-sustaining, venison will also be sold to local shops, hotels and restaurants.
Two farming families are involved, Glenkilrie near Blairgowrie and Knockbarry near Pitlochry. Supported also by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the national park authority hopes to inspire other UK land managers to consider how local communities and businesses can benefit from solving such challenges.
