BIODIVERSITY
Moorland lives again T
hroughout 2010, LandBusiness is reporting on different land use types in
Scotland and the rich biodiversity that they support. In this edition, the focus is on moorland and Millden Estate in Glenesk is being used as the case study. Formerly one of the top grouse moors in Scotland, the 20,000-acre Millden Estate in Glenesk had gone into decline. By the time the present owner, Millden Sporting, took over in 2004, it was suffering from too many deer, rabbits, sheep tick, rank unmanaged heather and a steady diminution in its biodiversity. The investment over the last five years has brought about a transformation of the whole glen, with 20 houses being renovated, 10 new land and wildlife management jobs created and a programme of road building and infrastructure development – including 18 miles of rabbit fencing and box traps. Now Millden is reinstated as a
viable driven grouse moor and family estate at the centre of a thriving community, but that is only part of the story.
One of the innovative decisions was to appoint a wildlife officer to record how the wildlife has responded to the new management regime, under the overall guidance of specialist managers, Baikie Hodge Ltd.
Old conifer plantations have been removed and new mixed native woodlands planted with a special emphasis on red squirrel conservation. Rope bridges have been installed above the glen road to minimise the risk of red squirrels being run over.
On the low ground, the old pasture in the parkland was rescued from the rabbits and brought back into hay production, and a system of fostering chicks has seen the grey partridge population increase from just four pairs to more than 100 pairs, although not without setbacks due to bad weather.
Up on the hill, there was the massive task of bringing the heather back into a burning rotation – now about 75 per cent achieved – and the keepering staff have also worked hard to bring the foxes, crows and stoats under control. Deer have been excluded from the hill because with their presence, it would have been impossible to control tick – a problem not only for the grouse and sheep through transmission of louping ill, but also debilitating birds such as curlew and golden plover.
A regularly dipped non-breeding flock of 2,500 sheep is now run on the hill to act as a “tick mop” and the problem is now down to a manageable level. Mountain hares have also been making a comeback.
By tackling these basic aspects of moorland management, there has been a resurgence of wildlife. After just two years, lapwing numbers expanded dramatically, followed by a steady increase in the slower- breeding curlew. Curlew are no longer just seen on the low ground pastures, but have spread back on to the hill. There have been unexpected biodiversity gains, such as a substantial increase in the number of mistlethrushes, and in 2009, a big increase in the number of ring ouzel on two beats.
Redshank and greenshank, which have died out in many parts of Scotland, have also risen dramatically at Millden, probably helped by the proximity of the renowned Montrose Basin wintering grounds.
Millden continues to be home to a full assemblage of moorland birds, from ptarmigan and dotterel on the high ground to rare birds of prey such as hen harrier, merlin and
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visiting ospreys and sea eagles. By 2008, 70 black cocks had been counted by the RSPB on 12 separate leks on the estate. Other birds regularly seen at Millden include sand martin, kingfisher, oystercatcher, goldcrest and snipe. Estate staff work with ornithological experts on a continuous basis. A member of the Raptor Study Group rings merlin and has helped to ring some 4,000 waders. Furthermore, local police wildlife
officer, Allan Stewart, brings parties of schoolchildren to see the wildlife at first hand under a PAW Scotland initiative, and the estate organises five day visits each year for children from local schools. Studying the different methods of trapping and predator control and searching for newts in puddles are always firm favourites on the school visits. The example of Millden Estate highlights that huge biodiversity gains can be observed provided that suitable management procedures are implemented. A well-managed moorland can provide not only a financial return to land managers through increased grouse numbers, but can also result in significant benefits for many other species. LB
LANDBUSINESS ISSUE 36 JUNE-JULY 2010
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