No known pressure or no data
292
zones
Functioning well. Rangers monitoring on schedule. No intervention needed this season
Spring 2026 stewardship recap for Dumyat
Spring Recap
2026
Dumyat
“Winter is not a quiet season — it is an honest one. The land tells the truth more clearly when growth slows.”
Gill Chapple
Chief Executive Officer
70%
Of the estate is stable and recovering without intervention
14 of 20 monitored zones are functioning on their own — because pressure was removed at the right time
Did you know?
‘Dumyat’ means the fort of the Maeatae.
Long before modern maps, surveys and ranger patrols, this hill was already a place of watchfulness, movement and defence on Scotland’s ancient frontier.
126 hrs
Rangers spent on the ground this season
Every check, every observation, every decision about where to act and where to step back.
481 ha
Under active
deer management
This is what gives young trees the space to establish before browsing pressure takes hold.
26 ha
Cleared of invasive species this season
Less competition means more room for native vegetation to return on its own terms.
94
Recorded wildlife
encounters
Not incidental sightings — a growing dataset that becomes more accurate with every season
34
Asset tickets raised and actioned
Fencing, paths, access infrastructure — the unglamorous work that keeps the whole system functioning
Ranger time made every signal stronger. Wildlife records, asset issues and habitat condition became more than separate observations. Seen together, in place and over time, they gave us a clearer view of how Dumyat is changing and where stewardship should focus next.
2zones
Require active intervention this season — the central parcel and south boundary
Both should move from red to amber by the next seasonal assessment
Intervention required
8/18
Pressure points caused by deer browsing — the primary pressure this season
Under Pressure
271/563
Areas currently of mild or negligible pressure are being potentially impacted by gorse and bracken growth, presence of non-native or invasive species, deer observations, negative human behaviours logged, or a negative built or natural asset ticket logged
No Known Pressure or No Data
292/563
Areas currently with a pressure score of zero aren't necessarily free of pressures - this could be due to inconsistency in survey effort across grid squares and no data being recorded as a result. We are working to increase survey effort across all areas and record as much data as possible to improve accuracy.
Did you know?
A single ranger visit to a grid square can confirm, challenge or completely change what satellite data and drone imagery suggest.
The human eye still catches what sensors miss.
How your funding is split
From ranger time on the ground to seasonal planning and reporting. Every pound directed to a specific function, reviewed each season
- Biodiversity delivery
- 35%
- Biodiversity monitoring & surveying
- 18%
- Land management & protection
- 12%
- Climate innovation
- 9%
- Human habitat
- 8%
- Community engagement & access
- 5%
- Reporting & verification
- 5%
- Operations & administration
- 8%
Where Nature is Working
Bird Ringing
Our habitat work enriches the landscape, and spring bird ringing lets us quantify these improvements for a national dataset. The diverse species recorded—each identified, measured, and ringed—prove the site provides essential food, cover, and nesting, which our ongoing interventions continue to expand
Where Nature is Working
Northern Brown Argus
The rare Northern Brown Argus butterfly lays its eggs almost exclusively on common rock-rose. By planting 305 rock-roses across 12 locations in October 2024, we provided more habitat. Our surveys prove this works: egg counts have risen every year since 2023, showing that more food plants equal more butterflies
Where Nature is Working
Sticky Catchfly
Sticky catchfly is one of the UK's rarest wildflowers, with Dumyat hosting one of its largest populations across just ~18 native sites. To expand its range beyond grazing-safe cliffs, we planted new colonies in 2022–2023. By June 2026, these plants are successfully thriving and in flower
The strength of this report is not a single number. It is the method behind it: consistent observation, repeatable grids and a living evidence base we can return to season after season.
