For Landowners & Estate Managers
Deer Management Planning
A Deer Management Plan is the foundation of responsible, grant-compliant deer control. It defines what is happening on your land, what needs to change, and how that change will be delivered and evidenced over time.
DMS produces site-specific plans for landowners, estates and forestry operations across Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire, structured to satisfy Forestry Commission and Natural England requirements, and designed to work in practice, not just on paper.
A DMP is not just for large estates. If any of the following apply, you almost certainly need one.
- Applying for CWS1 or WS1 — a compliant DMP is a mandatory requirement. Without one, the application goes nowhere.
- Woodland creation or EWCO planting is failing — if new planting isn’t establishing, deer browsing is usually the first thing the Forestry Commission will ask about. A plan and evidence of delivery protects your grant position.
- In a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier agreement — the scheme requires active, structured management and an annual evidence trail. Good intentions aren’t enough at review.
- Deer damage on farmland or woodland is increasing — even without a grant requirement, a written plan gives you a structured basis for control and a record that demonstrates due diligence if a damage dispute ever arises.
- Your FC woodland officer or land agent has told you that you need one — the question then is whether the document you produce actually works in practice, or just ticks the box.
If none of those apply, a site consultation is the quickest way to find out which way you fall.
AT A GLANCE
Service area Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire
Plan from £500
Annual compliance £250
Grant supported CWS1 · PA7 · WS1
Timescale 4–6 weeks
Consultation No charge
No commitment required at consultation stage.
The problem without a plan
Unmanaged deer pressure causes sustained, compounding damage to woodland and habitat. Without a structured approach, landowners face the same problems year after year, and often find themselves unable to access grant funding that could help address them.
- Bark stripping and browse damage are preventing natural regeneration
- New planting fails before it can establish itself
- Ground flora suppressed, reducing habitat diversity
- Grant applications rejected or failed for want of a compliant plan
- No evidence base to demonstrate active management
- Informal control that cannot be reported or audited
What a plan changes
A properly structured Deer Management Plan creates a clear, defensible record of what is happening on your land and what you are doing about it. It gives a framework for decision-making, a basis for grant applications, and a document that satisfies Forestry Commission and Natural England requirements.
- Baseline assessment of deer species, density, and impact
- Defined cull targets and management strategy
- Annual monitoring framework with photographic records
- Documentation to support CWS1, PA7 and WS1 applications
- Evidence trail that protects your grant position at review
- A working document — not a report filed and forgotten
CWS1 & WS1 Grant Funding
What the grant is actually worth to your land
___________
CWS1 pays £105 per hectare per year across a 10-year Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier agreement. On any meaningful area of woodland or priority habitat, that adds up to a significant funding stream — but only if you have a compliant Deer Management Plan in place and can evidence delivery year on year.
PA7 can additionally contribute up to £1,023.95 towards the cost of producing or updating the plan itself.
Figures based on current CWS1 rate of £105/ha/yr. Site eligibility subject to Natural England or Forestry Commission assessment.
| Site area | Per year | Over 10 years |
|---|---|---|
| 25 hectares | £2,625 | £26,250 |
| 50 hectares | £5,250 | £52,500 |
| 100 hectares | £10,500 | £105,000 |
| 200 hectares | £21,000 | £210,000 |
CWS1 stacks with WS1 where both farmland and woodland habitats are eligible.
What You Receive
Six things every DMS plan includes
Each plan is site-specific. These are the core components every engagement
delivers, not a generic document template, but a working management framework for your land.
01
Site Assessment & Species Survey
A structured field assessment of your land, covering deer species present, indicators of population level, browse and bark damage scoring, impact on regeneration and ground flora, and risk to any planted or grant-funded woodland.
- Species identification and activity mapping
- Browse pressure grading by zone
- Photographic baseline record
- Boundary and movement assessment
02
Written Deer Management Plan
A formal written DMP structured to UK Forestry Standard guidance and Countryside Stewardship requirements. Suitable for submission to the Forestry Commission and Natural England as part of a grant application or woodland management plan.
- Species-specific management strategy
- Defined objectives aligned to land use
- Cull target framework and seasonal strategy
- Exclosure and monitoring plot recommendations
03
Cull Record Framework
A structured system for recording culling activity against agreed targets. Properly maintained cull records are a mandatory requirement under CWS1 and WS1, and form a central part of any year-end compliance review.
- Template cull log aligned to scheme requirements
- Species and sex breakdown by season
- Annual target vs actual comparison
- Traceability records to FSA standard
04
Grant Application Support
Guidance and documentation support for CWS1, WS1 and PA7 applications. DMS works alongside your land agent, Forestry Commission woodland officer or Natural England adviser to ensure the deer management element of your application is accurate and complete.
- CWS1 and WS1 eligibility review
- PA7 species plan contribution
- Supporting documentation for CSHT process
- Liaison with FC / Natural England as required
05
Annual Compliance Review
CWS1 agreements run for ten years and require annual evidence of active management. The DMS annual review service keeps your agreement on track and your documentation defensible at every review point — Year 1, Year 3, Year 5, and Year 10.
- Annual site visit with photographic impact assessment
- Cull record review and performance summary
- Habitat impact scoring update
- Compliance report for grant year-end
06
Ongoing Management Delivery
Where required, DMS can deliver the deer control programme itself under a management agreement, at no direct cost to the landowner. Culling effort, carcass records, and compliance data are integrated with the DMP and reported annually.
- Population control under agreed cull strategy
- Night operations under CL55 where appropriate
- Carcass records and traceability documentation
- Coordination with neighbouring landholdings if required
“David has been managing the deer in the listed woodland on the estate for several years now.
His advice, recommendations and input have been invaluable when deciding on woodland
management and the effects on the wildlife.”
David · Estate Owner, West Sussex
How It Works
From first enquiry to active plan
A straightforward process with no unnecessary steps. Most plans move from initial consultation to agreed document within four to six weeks.
1️⃣
↓
Initial Consultation
A straightforward conversation about your land, your current situation, and what you want to achieve. This can be by phone or on-site. There is no charge and no commitment. The purpose is to establish whether a DMP is the right tool for your land and, if so, what scope it needs to cover.
2️⃣
↓
Field Assessment
A structured survey of the land covering species presence, population indicators, impact scoring and photographic baseline. The assessment follows UK Forestry Standard methodology and produces the evidence base on which the plan is built. Timing is agreed to suit access and seasonal conditions.
3️⃣
↓
Plan Preparation & Review
The written DMP is prepared and sent to you for review before finalisation. Where the plan is intended to support a grant application, the draft is structured for submission to the Forestry Commission or Natural England. Amendments are made until the document accurately reflects your land and objectives.
4️⃣
Delivery, Monitoring & Annual Review
Once the plan is agreed, DMS supports ongoing delivery — whether that means advising on culling strategy, coordinating with your own stalker, or delivering the management programme directly. Annual review visits keep the plan current and your grant compliance position defensible year on year.
Scope & Pricing
Clear fees, no hidden steps
Services are available individually or as part of an ongoing management engagement. All fees are agreed before work begins.
| Service | What it covers | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Consultation Phone or on-site | Review of your land, objectives, grant eligibility and whether a DMP is the right approach. No commitment required. | No charge |
| Field Assessment Half-day site visit | Structured survey — species presence, impact scoring, photographic baseline. Produces the evidence base for the plan. Within service area. | From £350 |
| Deer Management Plan Written document | Site-specific DMP to UK Forestry Standard. Covers management objectives, cull strategy, monitoring framework, and grant-supporting documentation. Suitable for FC / Natural England submission. | From £500 |
| Grant Application Support CWS1, WS1, PA7 | Documentation and guidance support for grant applications. Liaising with FC woodland officer and Natural England adviser where required. Quoted on scope. | POA |
| Annual Compliance Review Yearly — ongoing | Site visit, photographic impact reassessment, cull record review, habitat impact score update, and written compliance summary for grant year-end. Essential for maintaining CWS1 / WS1 agreements. | From £395 |
| Deer Management & Control Under agreement |
Ongoing deer control delivered under a management agreement. Culling effort, carcass records, and compliance data integrated with the DMP. No direct cost to the landowner under a standard agreement. | FOC under agreement Carcass value offset. Full details at consultation. |
Why Deer Management Services
What makes the difference
___________
Assessed to the standard
David holds DSC2, the BDS Deer Management Certificate, and is a BASC Assessor and DMQ Approved Witness. Every management recommendation and plan document reflects the current best practice standard — because the person writing it assesses to that standard professionally.
Built to work, not just comply
A DMP that satisfies a grant requirement but doesn’t reflect what is achievable on your ground is a liability, not an asset. DMS plans are grounded in what has been seen on site and what can realistically be delivered — so your cull records and monitoring evidence hold up at review.
Long-term, not transactional
Estate owners across Sussex and Surrey have worked with DMS for several years. The annual review service means the relationship continues well beyond the initial plan — providing consistency of advice, a maintained evidence base, and a known contact when issues arise.
“Since David started managing the deer, the improvement has been obvious. He has always been professional, knowledgeable and reliable. The results have been excellent throughout.”
Deborah · Equestrian Yard Owner, Sussex
Start with a conversation
Every engagement begins with a no-charge consultation. We discuss your land, your
current situation, and whether a Deer Management Plan is the right step — before
any commitment is made.
Or call David directly: 07808 911645
Tel : +44 7808 911645
Email : ds@deermanagementservices.co.uk
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