Rural Payments and Services

Note: In September 2023, references to Scottish Natural Heritage have been updated to NatureScot.

You can significantly reduce the chance of woodland grouse colliding with deer fences by marking the fence to make it more visible.

This capital item is only available in black grouse and capercaillie core areas. These areas are defined and updated by the Biodiversity Action Plan Steering Groups for these species and you can get maps from Scottish Forestry, NatureScot or the Royal Society for Protection of Birds.

When modifying an existing fence, you must ensure that the fence line is capable of taking the extra strain, has an appropriate top wire and has struts in appropriate positions. All fencing woodwork should be treated.

You can find further details on the specifications, including diagrams, in the Forestry Commission Technical Note FCTNO19: Fence Marking to Reduce Grouse Collisions (2012).