by EWAN LAMB
Borders farmers who would be in the 'front line' should the Eurasian lynx be reintroduced into southern Scotland will have the chance to air their views on the subject at a consultation being staged by the National Sheep Association [NSA] later this month.
Research by The Lifescape Project, a leading partner in the so-called Missing Lynx initiative concluded that if lynx were to be released in Northumberland, they could grow into a healthy population covering north-west Northumberland, the edge of Cumbria and the bordering areas of southern Scotland.
But a previous attempt to promote a lynx initiative in the same area eight years ago by the Lynx UK Trust had to be abandoned amid concerns that the proposal could result in the loss of large numbers of lambs and other animals on Borders farms.
An application for a licence to release six lynx into the Kielder Forest was rejected by the then Tory Government after it considered representations, including a submission from Rachael Hamilton, the Conservative Member of the Scottish Parliament for Ettrick, Roxburgh & Berwickshire.
Last year an exhibition promoting the latest initiative toured towns and villages in the Borders and Northumberland in an effort to drum up support for the release of lynx which became extinct in the area during medieval times.
The campaign is set to continue this year with further exhibitions likely to be staged prior to another licence application being lodged at some point.
The NSA has been involved in several meetings over the past few months with the Missing Lynx personnel, and is now seeking views from farmers to help in forming the association's response to any formal consultation on the issue.
One of two meetings to canvass opinions will be held in St Boswells on January 23rd.
According to the NSA: "We will hear from Nuffield Scholar, Jonny Hanson via video link who will present his report on large carnivore reintroductions. Jonny carried out extensive research with farmers as part of his report".
In summary, Mr Hanson's report says large carnivore reintroductions are likely to be complex, contested and costly endeavours, whether with lynx, or, to an even greater extent, with wolves and bears.
"The primary challenge with all three species is likely to be the management and governance of coexistence with livestock farming, particularly of sheep. The qualitative findings from this report suggest that there is a degree of consensus, among both farming and rewilding representatives alike, about the scope and scale of these challenges, with both groups citing the varied political, economic, social, legal and environmental dimensions.
However, agricultural interviewees were more likely to stress the potential negative consequences of reintroductions. Overall, the strategic context for potential large carnivore reintroductions to Britain and Ireland is currently extremely challenging, Mr Hanson concluded.
The Nuffield report states: "The potential reintroductions of wolves, lynx and bears to Britain and Ireland after absences of centuries, or even millennia, is one of the most controversial agri- environmental topics of the century.
"An application for a trial reintroduction of lynx in England was declined in 2018, with an unrelated project under discussion in Scotland. Yet with successful reintroductions of some non-carnivore species across these islands, from beavers to eagles, the idea is likely to grow in popularity and ambition. But despite the many social, economic and environmental benefits extolled by supporters of reintroductions, the costs and challenges are also significant, with many likely to be borne by livestock farmers.
"Few studies have considered their perspectives to date. On the other hand, there are numerous examples from around the world of large carnivore conservation successfully coexisting with a range of rural activities and stakeholders, including livestock farming."
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