The Common Ground Forum on Sustainable Upland Deer Management
The Common Ground Forum is a network of individuals from across Scotland’s upland deer management sector who have committed to work together to look at how a more collaborative approach to deer management, based on mutual respect and consensus building, can contribute to a vision of a greener, healthier and economically vibrant future.
The Forum currently comprises more than 100 people, including private landowners and managers, deer stalkers, the Scottish Government and statutory agencies, environmental NGOs, the agricultural sector, foresters and community trusts.
Members of the Forum are committed to work in the spirit of the Our Common Ground Accord, a set of principles about how they will communicate with each other, in order to set a standard for respectful behaviour throughout the sector.
The purpose of the Common Ground Forum is to continue to build trust and relationships between people whose work is connected with deer management. By facilitating constructive dialogue, improved relationships between stakeholders helps them work better together, enabling sustainable and integrated deer management to be implemented effectively on the ground for the benefit of people, nature and the climate. This is particularly important in the current time of change, as the Scottish Government look to develop effective changes in policy and legislation.
The Common Ground Forum recognises that everyone’s voice is important, and the role of the deer management community in delivering Scotland’s priorities of woodland expansion, carbon sequestration and habitat health should be recognised.
Individuals are welcome to join the Common Ground Forum if they have a connection with the upland deer management sector in Scotland and they are committed to work in the spirit of the Our Common Ground Accord, which demonstrates the shared principles and setting standards for respectful behaviour across the upland deer management sector.
To join the Common Ground Forum, contact info@thecommongroundforum.scot.