TreeLab at the University of Southampton, in collaboration with Forest Research, and the University of Reading, is conducting a research prioritisation exercise (RPE) to collaboratively identify the most urgent and policy-relevant research questions related to deer management in the Britain, Northern Ireland and Ireland. This initiative follows tried and tested methodology developed by the University of Cambridge and aims to identify knowledge gaps, optimise resource allocation, and inform funding directions for implementation science and practice.
We will be asking: “What research questions, if answered, would substantially improve policies and practices related to interactions between wild deer, ecosystems and humans, for the benefit of people and nature in Britain, Northern Ireland and Ireland?”
If interested, do get in touch!
England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic or Ireland are home to six species of wild deer: Red Deer (Cervus elaphus), Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus), Fallow Deer (Dama dama), Sika Deer (C. nippon), Reeve's Muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi), and Chinese Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis). This RPE focuses on free-ranging wild deer, thus excluding farmed deer and deer enclosed in parks.
Humans and deer interact across multitude contexts, including woodland conservation and forestry, agricultural practices, urban and peri-urban environments, recreational activities, hunting and stalking, wildlife watching and tourism, conservation initiatives, transport infrastructure, disease monitoring, and research activities. These interactions occur across diverse landscapes from remote Highland estates to suburban gardens, from ancient woodlands to modern plantations. We therefore expect diverse research questions related (but not limited) to the following themes: ecology, biodiversity, land management, governance, human and animal health, animal welfare, culture, tourism, technology and innovation, economics, philosophy and ethics, social science, and policy implementation.
Deer are an integral part of temperate ecosystems and provide significant intrinsic, aesthetic, and cultural value whilst generating substantial income from hunting and tourism. However, managing deer populations to balance these benefits with other land use objectives presents complex challenges that require evidence-based solutions.
High densities of wild deer can undermine the contributions of trees and woodlands to tackling the climate and biodiversity crises. Herbivory of young trees, saplings and understorey plants can stunt tree growth, inhibit regeneration altogether, and tip forest ecosystems toward alternative states. In addition, deer can inflict major economic losses to forestry and agriculture, and may threaten public health via road traffic accidents and Lyme disease. For decades, landowners, hunters, conservationists, and government officials have been unable to reach consensus over what constitutes successful deer management in different contexts.
Policy interest in deer management is currently high, as evidenced by recent government consultations on Defra's Deer Management Strategy. The Woodland Trust's recent State of the UK's Woods and Trees Report (2025) highlighted unsustainable deer populations as a principal threat to woodland creation and restoration targets, and called for policies and increased funding to upscale deer management across the UK. To ensure that policy and practice decisions are informed by the best available science, we must clarify what evidence is most urgently needed, and how research can best inform policy and practice.
TreeLab at the University of Southampton is following a tried and tested methodology, conducting a 'Research Prioritisation Exercise' (RPE) to collaboratively identify research priorities for science and policy. An RPE employs a Delphi-like approach to solicit, collate, and prioritise policy-relevant research questions that are most imperative to environmental management and conservation.
We are recruiting an Expert Panel to help solicit questions from their professional networks of people working across policy, practice and science. The panel will help to refine and prioritise questions into a final list.
Becks Spake, Uni. Southampton
Amy Gresham, Uni. Cambridge
Orestis Aslanidis, Uni. Southampton
Alexandra Ash, Uni. Southampton, Forest Research
Cally Ham, Forest Research
Alexandros Theodorou, Uni. Southampton
Mel Roach, Uni. Southampton
Matt Greenwell, Uni. Reading