Longstanding and often polarised conflict has historically limited progress towards sustainable and widely supported deer management in Scotland.
In 2025, PhD student Jess Frater provided independent monitoring and evaluation for the Common Ground Forum (CGF), which uses civic mediation to foster more constructive dialogue around deer management. Her evaluation captured shifts in feelings, relationships, and levels of trust among CGF members, helping to reassure members, funders, and policymakers that the work of the Forum is robust, transparent, and credible.
The impact of Jess’s work is already visible in a gradual shift towards more collaborative approaches within the deer management sector and improved connections between policy and practice. The insights, experiences, and relationships Jess developed through this work will also help maximise the relevance and eventual impact of her doctoral research on deer management in Scotland.
