Strathbeg goose funding applications open next Monday

Every autumn, pink-footed geese fly 800 km from their breeding grounds in Iceland to Scotland. One of the first places they land is Loch of Strathbeg Special Protection Area, where numbers can reach 50,000.

In spring, as the geese prepare for their journey back to their breeding grounds, up to 20,000 feed on grass on neighbouring farmland, delaying the turnout for livestock and reducing yields of silage. The Loch of Strathbeg Goose Management Scheme was introduced to help meet the costs owners incur by allowing the geese to graze on their land undisturbed.

Since 1994, a goose management scheme, in one form or another, has been in place at the Loch of Strathbeg, with the support of the Loch of Strathbeg Local Goose Management Group (LGMG). In 2013, decreased funding for all goose schemes in Scotland resulted in the boundary being reduced to cover the agricultural areas just north and south of the Loch of Strathbeg roost. Previous monitoring results showed that these areas have attracted higher goose usage. The distribution of the foraging geese was monitored again in spring 2015. Find the SNH commissioned report at  http://www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/publications/commissioned_reports/937.pdf

Russell Hooper, SNH Tayside & Grampian area office, speaking on behalf of the LGMG, said:

“We want to acknowledge the important role played by scheme participants in both conserving this internationally important species and the success of the scheme over the years.

“There was a good level of participation by local farmers last year, and goose use of scheme fields was high, so we have no plans to change the scheme in 2017. We encourage all landowners within the scheme boundary to apply to participate in the scheme.”

Application packs will be available from the SNH Aberdeen office from Monday, 21 November, and the deadline for applications will be on Friday, 16 December. For more information, contact Russell Hooper on 01224 266511 or email russell.hooper@snh.gov.uk.

Managing wildlife like the geese at the Loch of Stratbeg is part of the way SNH helps protect vulnerable species and habitats. Wild geese are an important part of Scotland's nature and agricultural landscapes. A national policy framework for goose management has been in place in Scotland since 2000, with a number of local goose management schemes and adaptive management pilots across Scotland operating within this framework. The aim is to minimise losses to farmers and crofters while ensuring that Scotland fulfils its international nature conservation objectives.

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MEDIA QUERIES
Contact SNH media officer, Vicki Mowat, on 0131 316 2659 or vicki.mowat@snh.gov.uk (Tues-Fri) or the SNH main press office on 01463 725 022 (Monday).

NOTES FOR EDITORS
Scottish Natural Heritage is the government's adviser on all aspects of nature and landscape across Scotland. Our role is to help everyone understand, value and enjoy Scotland's nature now and in the future. For more information, visit our website at www.snh.gov.uk. SNH media is also now on Twitter at http://twitter.com/SNH_Tweets.

Up to a fifth of the world population of pink-footed geese, visit or roost each winter at Strathbeg. The Loch of Strathbeg Goose Management Scheme was first piloted between 1994 and 1997, and has continued in one form or another until present day.

Loch of Strathbeg Goose Management Group consists of representatives from NFUS, SGRPID, SNH, the University of Aberdeen, RSPB and Scottish Agricultural College.

The 2010 Review of Goose Management Policy in Scotland can be found at the following website: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/02/03083950/0