Fair Game: Archaeology project promoting sustainable management of fallow deer nominated for national award

A project that The Sussex Archaeological Society is part of, which promotes the sustainable management of the fallow deer population on the South Downs, has been shortlisted for an award. Known as ‘Fair Game’, the project is a finalist in the Sustainability category of this year’s Archaeological Achievement Awards. The project draws on archaeological evidence about the history of fallow deer being introduced to Britain as a non-native species, firstly in Roman times and then later in the Medieval period; and seeks to apply that understanding to how we manage those populations sustainably today.

Fair Game is led by the University of Exeter alongside a number of national and regional partners, including the National Trust, South Downs National Park Authority and Natural England, as well as the Sussex Archaeological Society. Funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, Fair Game is seeking to bring back ancient approaches to the species, including the importance of managing its populations and the distribution of venison throughout society.

Discussing the Society’s role in the project, Dr Rob Symmons, Curator at Fishbourne Roman Palace, explains:

“As owners of Fishbourne Roman Palace, the site of the first introduction into Britain of fallow deer by humans, the Society is in a unique position. We are the start of the story of fallow deer here in Britain. The very first deer to come to Britain following the ice age were imported to the Palace as ornamental animals in the first century AD.”

With deer populations in this country at record levels and their impacts being felt right across the landscape, the Fair Game project is helping to improve deer management, change public perceptions about why managing numbers is so important, as well as establishing a social enterprise that will distribute free venison to those in need.

Dr Symmons added: “The overall aim of the project is to use archaeological evidence about the history of fallow deer in Britain to help people understand that they are non-native and need to be managed, just as they were when they were first introduced. At the moment, they are causing immense damage to the landscape as well as being in poor health due to overpopulation. Currently, venison from culled deer is often exported cheaply or even simply discarded, while more expensive venison is often imported from as far away as New Zealand. We need to change public perceptions and get supply chains working properly. We at the Society are proud to play a part in this project in a way that makes archaeology directly relevant to real-world challenges and helps ensure a sustainable future for Britain’s fallow deer population and the habitats that support them.”

Discover more about the project in the animated short film below.