The Mar Lodge head keeper resigned after 30 years 6 months before he was due to retire considering he had worked for the NTS for 23 of them not much of a stand. If he did not agree with the NTS policy he should have left along time ago.Also fencing is not a viable option in such a location with high numbers of caper and black grouse and would also defeat the purpose of natural regen. And the whole night shooting arguement is so old and has been going on all over the country for so many years I believe done properly it can be a very cost efective resource in the modern day stalkers tool kit.
With regard to Caper , there are none in the regen area and a possible small population across the river, Black grouse again are in short supply. NTS have some fencing just up from the Brig o Dee, and I must admit that the marking of the fence is pitifull, they used garden canes!!!!!!!!
I do think that night shooting at Mar Lodge will not be the most effective use of time or resources.
Anyone who has ever met Stewart Cummings will know that taking early retirement and speaking out would certainly not be a decision taken lightly and must have caused many if not 1000's of sleepless nights over the last 23years. He has shown a huge amount of loyalty to NTS as they were his employer and never once spoke out against them while in their employment. Some may take the view that he was old fashioned, he may have been but he is a true perfectionist and cared deeply about the estate in which his familly has had a link for generations.
I have worked with nearly every Estate whether private or NTS, RSPB etc in the highlands that has Caper present and to be honest the only one that has ever been defensive [in fact bloody awkward] was NTS at Mar Lodge. This is a common view held by everyone that has dealt with them , including other NTS staff.
I am a supporter of conserving our natural woodlands and have counted well over a 1000 stags in front of the lodge and know fine well how overstocked the place was, and in principle support what they are trying to achieve , but they must take stock of what they are doing and realise that they are not achieving their end goal and it is time for a rethink.
I asked whether they had thought about scarifying areas, and was told in no uncertain terms that I was an idiot!!!!
By a certain ecologist who is certainly showing her expertise?
Derry, do you have a vested interest in Mar Lodge, your name certainly hints that?