What do we do? - BDS promotes deer education, research and management best practice to ensure a healthy and sustainable deer population in balance with the environment; a key feature of the biodiversity of the UK landscape.
Our aim - BDS aims to be the go-to place for objective and unbiased information on the biology of deer and methods of deer management, humane treatment and control.
Research - BDS provides funding and support for high quality deer research to inform government(s), academia, trade organisations, members, the media and the public.
Membership - BDS embraces a varied membership ranging from professional biologists, enthusiastic naturalists, keen photographers, wildlife artists and chefs to deer managers and stalkers. All are welcome.
Education - BDS aims to improve general education and understanding of all deer-related issues, through active engagement and access to high quality educational materials.
How can you help us? - Help BDS continue its education and research programme. Secure the future of wild deer in the UK by becoming a member, making a donation, or purchasing from our shop. Thank you for your support.
It has been an extraordinary year and The British Deer Society has risen to the challenges and changes seen across the UK due to the pandemic.
However, the charity has been impacted both in how we operate and in our funding.
Looking to 2021 and beyond we can see that more than ever the role of the BDS in ensuring a valued, healthy and sustainable deer population will be needed. We must have the resources ready to meet those challenges and that is why we need your help.
Sentinel Unmanned Continue to Fly With BDS Support, Winning Place on Scottish Government Innovation Programme
Global pioneering designer, manufacturer and service provider of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), Sentinel Unmanned has reached the prestigious Accelerator Stage of the CivTech 5.0 programme.
Established by the Scottish Government, CivTech “drives daring and innovation in the public sector by collaboratively solving challenges to make people’s lives better—and in doing so, creates generations of sustainable, high growth businesses.” There is now a CivTech Alliance across the world with 11 member countries.
Within CivTech 5.0, ten challenges were issued by a variety of public bodies and a competitive process followed to identify the 2020 cohort, with over 100 applicants vying for a place in the initial Exploration stage.
Responding to the challenge set by Nature Scot (formerly Scottish Natural Heritage) of “How can we use technology to estimate herbivore populations and their impacts across Scotland in a greener and more cost-effective way?”, Sentinel was selected to take part in the Exploration Stage and was further successful in reaching the Accelerator Stage, where only one to two applicants work on each challenge for their Challenge Sponsor.
Sentinel are currently underway into a 14-week fast track programme to deliver a minimum viable product (MVP) which will be showcased on ‘demo day’ in early 2021.
The British Deer Society is concerned about the impact on mental health. This article offers some practice tips and links to resources to help us all get through.
A new lockdown has been implemented across England as of Thursday the 5th of November - similar restrictions are in place in Scotland, Ireland and Wales. This is important to reduce the risk of C-19 spreading and protect the NHS.
The first lockdown revealed the heart of communities: local initiatives to support the most vulnerable, a sense of togetherness, neighbours spoke to each other (sometimes for the first time|!) and we clapped for Carers. People reconnected with those with whom they had lost contact with. Communities helped each other.
The new Lockdown comes at a difficult time - winter and long nights, bad weather, along with economic challenges. Lockdown can lead to loneliness, isolation, and stress - worrying about health, jobs, finances, redundancy, the house and the future. Peoples routines have been changed, social opportunities and support networks are restricted. This impacts all of us young and old alike.
The British Deer Society is closely monitoring the situation since the Government announced over the weekend that there will be new national lockdown restrictions.
From Thursday 5 November until Wednesday 2 December, the Government has issued the following restrictions for England:
- Stay at home, except for specific purposes.
- Avoid meeting people you do not live with, except for specific purposes.
We have noted in the Governments update that you can leave home for specific purposes. Some key ones to be aware of include:
Work and volunteering You can leave home for work purposes, or to provide voluntary or charitable services, where you cannot do this from home. This includes professional based culling – see below.
Education You can leave home for education (formal provision, rather than extracurricular classes such as music or drama tuition), and training. However, some BDS courses will be postponed due to accommodation difficulties or vulnerability as designated by the NHS and PHE, of course candidates.
