A managed wildlife programme of deer culling is taking place at Cotehele.
Tenants close to the estate have been advised in correspondence by the National Trust to allow the deer control to be carried out as ‘efficiently as possible’ and to adhere to signage around pathways and woodland entry points.
The estate’s wildlife management expert has recommended a low-level cull to address the level of damage that is evident in the estate’s woodland and tenant market gardens, they say.
Tenants of the Trust for 26 years say they have never witnessed a cull at the park and hardly ever see deer. They say they are incredulous at the need to cull.
The couple, who wish to remain anonymous, said: “We have no knowledge of any previous deer culling taking place with the authority of the National Trust in the 26 years we have lived here.
“We don’t understand the need; we see roe deer around once a week, usually grazing on pasture land nearby.”
The tenants are concerned for loss of deer on the park especially as the local healthy badger and hedgehog population inexplicably disappeared three years ago.
They add: “We have a wildlife camera and now don’t see badgers or hedgehogs in their gardens or vicinity.”
They think a viable alternative to culling would be the use of deer-proof fencing, which has already been used successfully to stop deer nibbling on a local tree nursery.
A National Trust spokesperson said: “The management of wildlife is sometimes required to help us protect and care for our places, support rare and vulnerable species, and meet legal obligations.
“The welfare of any animals involved is at the forefront of our minds whenever such action is considered.
“We follow best practice methods to ensure any actions taken are legal, humane, and evidenced based.’’
The wild deer population roams freely across the landscape at Cotehele. The Trust says that wild deer have become the single biggest threat to woodland in the UK.
A project of tree planting is planned for the Morden Valley to create the Cotehele Community Forest this autumn/winter in partnership with Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest.
A total of 12,000 trees are being planted as well restoring historic features, such as orchards and historic boundaries in a 9.9ha area.
The Trust has denied that those plans are the reason for the culling, saying: “We need to proactively maintain a healthy population to ensure the deer remain beneficial to the woodland at Cotehele rather than damaging to it, and to ensure our future tree planting ambitions succeed.
“As a conservation charity this this is central to our core purpose of looking after the special places and habitats in our care for the benefit of the nation.”