| The Government established the National Goose Forum for Scotland in 1997 to provide advice and guidance towards developing a national framework for managing wild geese. It is envisaged that the Forum will enable an increased understanding of goose management issues amongst farming hunting and nature conservation interests, and lead to greater consensus on future policy development. |
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| This study provides baseline data to inform the work of the Forum. The aim of the research was to provide a comprehensive review of the literature on the status of wild geese in Scotland and on their interactions with agriculture, concentrating on those geese which significantly affect agriculture. |
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| Main Findings |
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The main findings from this literature review are as follows: - Around 400,000 geese spend at least part of the winter in Scotland. These include the entire world populations of Icelandic pink-footed and Icelandic greylag geese and a large proportion of Greenland and Svalbard barnacle geese and Greenland white-fronted geese. The changes in agriculture over the last 50 years (such as the increased use of fertilisers) have benefited geese, and in Scotland, as in the rest of Europe and North America, the numbers of overwintering geese have greatly increased over the last 20-30 years.
- This increase in goose numbers is a conservation success story, resulting in part from the enhanced site and species protection. It has led to greater bird watching and green tourism and associated economic opportunities.
- The increase in goose numbers has, however, presented problems for farmers in some areas of Scotland. In response, the Government has encouraged management agreements, the creation of feeding areas, and geese scaring. In addition, compensation payments have been made to farmers for lost agricultural production.
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| Background |
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| In 1997, the Government established a National Goose Forum in Scotland, comprising representatives from both farming, and conservation interests to advise Ministers on appropriate goose management techniques. This research was commissioned by the Scottish Office to provide a baseline of information to inform the Forum in its decisions. |
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| Geese in Scotland |
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| The increase in the number of geese now wintering in Scotland presents a dilemma. It is a great conservation success, with economic benefits, but it is also an issue for the farming community as the geese graze on agricultural land. |
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| The factors responsible for the growth in Scottish goose populations include improved agricultural production on arable land. This has effectively reduced mortality rates on these wintering areas. The provision of new hunting regulations together with enhanced site and species protection have also contributed. |
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| Most migratory geese arrive in Scotland in September/October and leave in March/April. Arrivals and departures may be very pronounced with some geese showing a very concentrated distribution for a period of weeks. Most geese are highly gregarious and roost in large flocks. Most roost sites are used consistently throughout the winter, although disturbance can cause birds to change roost location. This activity has major implications for farmers and site managers. |
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| Geese usually feed near the roosts, normally during the day. They seem to prefer stubble fields in autumn, and improved grasslands in winter and spring. Fields with fertilisers are also preferred. Geese will use their natural habitats where available, but these traditional habitats such as saltmarsh and wetlands have been largely reclaimed and developed, for example, by drainage for agriculture. |
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| Food availability, the need for safety, a good all-round-view and minimum disturbance are important in determining where geese choose to feed. Most geese appear loyal to their wintering areas, often returning to the same fields and farmland every year. |
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| Goose Interactions with Agriculture |
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| Major changes in agricultural practices since the Second World War have transformed the availability of feed for overwintering geese. Most recently there has been an increased sowing of wheat and oilseed rape and a decrease in the number of winter stubble fields, due to the practice of autumn barley sowing. As the importance of silage has increased, the levels of fertiliser used in grassland management has risen. |
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| Numerous studies have investigated the damage by geese to crops. Problems can occur on grasslands where geese complete for forage with farm stock or where grazing reduces hay and silage yields. Research results have, however, been very variable and goose grazing has accounted for 10-45% of the variation in yields loss. Other factors such as time of year, type of crop, weather conditions, soils conditions, productivity of fields, timing of grazing, plant composition and stage of plant development are also important. |
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| Goose grazing in favourable plant growing conditions has a greater impact on yield than grazing in poor conditions for plant growth. In addition, grazing of cereal crops when the main shoot is not fully developed can be particularly damaging. Defoliation in late spring seems to produce the greatest losses. |
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| Goose Management |
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| Geese are conserved and managed as an important international resource. The Ramsar, Berne and Bonn Conventions apply as do the EC Birds Directive and Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. All these measures impose obligations to protect geese and their habitats. The Birds Directive allows for derogations by Member States where serious damage to livestock or crops has resulted (Article 9). Licences to kill geese can therefore be issued, but only where no other satisfactory solution can be found. There is a distinction to be made between the fully protected species (e.g. Greenland barnacle geese) and those species (e.g. naturalised greylag geese and Icelandic pink-footed geese) which are quarry species. The latter may be hunted at any time outside the closed season as their numbers are considered capable of sustaining exploitation. |
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| Scotland has a twofold approach to goose management on their overwintering grounds. First there is a network of protected sites (mostly roosts) that have been established. These are managed by organisations such as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds e.g. Loch of Strathbeg, Scottish Wildlife Trust e.g. Loch Fleet and The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust e.g. Caerlaerock. In addition, where geese occur outwith these reserves, farmers have been encouraged to scare the geese from their land where problems arise. Licences have been issued to allow the killing of greylag and pink-footed geese during the close season, and less frequently to allow the killing of white-fronted and barnacle geese. There are also Government compensation schemes used in certain countries. In Scotland, five were established by Scottish Natural Heritage in response to individual problem areas, including Islay, the Solway Firth and Orkney. These have been successful in alleviating the conflict although are considered an expensive option. In 1996/7, SNH's 5 schemes for overwintering geese cost £620,000. |
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| Various methods have been used to deter geese, or redistribute them on to less sensitive farm crops. The provision of alternative feeding areas for geese is widely used in North America and has also been trialled in Scotland, where it successfully reduced the conflict between geese and local farmers. Another method, which may be used in conjunction with provision of alternative feeding areas is goose scaring (using visual and audible signals) to discourage them from particular areas. This has had varying degrees of success. The use of repellents is also being examined. |
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| Goose scaring, repelling and culling may form part of any future goose management strategies developed for Scotland. The former, non-lethal methods clearly tend to redistribute the geese, and therefore the problem. The latter offers a more permanent solution to local problems. |
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| All these management options have costs and benefits. The future conservation and management for geese in Scotland will depend on the development of integrated management strategies for each goose population. These must reflect the conservation status of each population and the nature and scale of the agricultural problems caused. These strategies should ensure that conservation costs are borne by society as a whole rather than individual farmers, perhaps through targeted agri-environment measures, enabling an income to be derived for those supporting geese on their land. |
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| About the Study |
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| The study was a literature review conducted in 1998 by J.S.Kirby, M. Owen & J.M. Rowcliffe of the Wetlands Advisory Service Limited, The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust. |
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| "Geese and their Interactions with Agriculture and the Environment", the consultant's report summarised in this Research Findings, is available priced £10.00. Cheques should be made payable to The Stationery Office and addressed to: |
The Stationery Office Bookshop,
71 Lothian Road,
Edinburgh EH3 9AZ |
Telephone: 0131-228 4181,
or Fax: 0131-622 7017 |
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| The report can also be ordered online from: www.thestationeryoffice.co.uk |
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| Further copies of this Research Findings may be obtained from: |
The Scottish Office Central Research Unit
2J
Victoria Quay
Edinburgh
EH6 6QQ
Telephone: 0131-244 7560 |
| or from the publications section of The Scottish Office Website: www.scotland.gov.uk |