On April 2, 2013, Lyons Press will release DEERLAND: America’s Hunt for Ecological Balance and the Essence of Wildness.
The U.S. is now home to 30 million hungry deer—100 times more than were here a century ago. When we see all those deer out in the woods, most of us believe it’s a measure of the forest’s health. It is, but in exactly the opposite way we think. All across America, overabundant deer routinely devastate ecosystems and alter entire landscapes. DEERLAND traces the story of how we got here and asks tough questions about what it will take to restore the balance we’ve disrupted.
The author also asked tough questions about the rapidly changing gear, tactics, and values of today’s hunters—and about what role those hunters will continue to play in 21st Century America. And when it comes to deer, are hunters part of the solution, part of the problem, or both? Rest assured, however, that DEERLAND isn’t just about hunting. It’s a much larger environmental and cultural story. (To learn more, you can visit the author's website at www.alcambronne.com)
Whether you’re a hunter, a gardener, or a birder, and whether you care about the environment, the deer in your back yard, or the shrubbery they just ate, DEERLAND is an eye-opening read that will change forever the way you think about deer and the landscape we share with them.
Pre-order a copy at Amazon
Showing posts with label ecological impacts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ecological impacts. Show all posts
Monday, March 04, 2013
Friday, July 20, 2012
SCOTLAND NEWS: Muntjac Deer Detected
Muntjac deer might be in the process of colonizing Scotland.
A shoot-on-sight call has been issued on so-called "Asbo Bambi" in Scotland, after reported sightings of the "destructive" species. Scotland does not have an established Muntjac population, but SNH estimates that if one were to develop it would cost the country around £2m a year. The deer, originally from China, cause extensive damage to vegetation and crops, and car accidents by running out into the road. The SNH's advisor on non-native species, Stan Whitaker, described the animals as "the most destructive pests in Britain".Source: Sky News
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
BRITISH COLUMBIA NEWS: Deer Populations Altering Gulf Islands
Booming deer populations on some Gulf Islands are driving away songbirds and leaving the area susceptible to invasion by foreign species, says a recent study.
Following hunting bans on many small islands in the 1970s, deer populations grew. People began feeding deer, which compounded the problem. Now residents of at least one island are looking at sterilization as a control measure, but are getting little support from the provincial government.
I'll post my own synopsis of this study--it is quite good.
Source: Nanaimo Daily News
I've included a picture from the study that shows vegetation on low, medium, and high deer density islands.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
MICHIGAN NEWS: Grand Haven Deer Problem Bigger than Grand Haven
The burgeoning deer population in northwestern Ottawa County is no longer just a Grand Haven problem.
Increasingly, residents and naturalists concerned with the problem are confronting area governmental officials with damage being caused by foraging deer. Most governmental units in this part of the county have discussed the deer situation.
Action plans being considered range from studying the issue further to actively pursuing deer culling this fall.
Grand Haven is planning another deer culling this fall after it hired sharpshooters a year ago to kill 19 deer on Harbor Island and in Lake Forest Cemetery.
And late last month, the Ferrysburg City Council agreed to form a task force to look into the problem of deer damaging the city's fragile dune ecosystem. Area townships, where the problem does not appear to be as bad, are monitoring the deer population issue.
Ferrysburg City Council member Tim Scarpino, who will serve on that city's deer task force along with council members Regina Sjoberg and Dan Ruiter, said he believes area governmental units eventually will have to take a regional approach to the problem.
"We can remove all of the deer in Ferrysburg and they will migrate back," he said. "It's obvious, we're all going to have to work together."
Scarpino said Ferrysburg's interest in the deer problem stems from the increasing number of complaints being received from residents over the damage to plantings and reports by naturalists of erosion and other damage at the city's Kitchel-Lindquist Dunes Preserve.
Scarpino, who also serves on the Kitchel-Lindquist Dunes Preserve Board, said environmental consultant William Martinus recently complied a natural-features inventory of the preserve and reported significant damage from deer.
Martinus said deer slowly have been stripping away plants that grow in the dune understory, the area of ground beneath the forest canopy. In addition, many preserve plants found in great numbers during the 1970s were not found during the most recent inventory. Martinus found little or no regeneration of tree seedlings or saplings, while remaining plants often show few blooms. Deer eat tree saplings and seedlings that are native to Michigan, including maple, oak, beech, cherry, basswood, cedar and butternut.
And these native plants are being replaced by nonnative and invasive species that deer will not eat, including garlic mustard. "There's almost nothing native in the understory," he said. "We don't even know if the seeds of the plants are there any more."
Scarpino envisions the task force reviewing information gathered to date before formulating a response, which could include a regional approach.
"We've been told from representatives that the larger the area you work with, the more options you have," he said. "In my mind, that sets the stage for a regional effort. But that depends on each government."
In Grand Haven, officials once again are seeking a fall and winter deer cull and discussed last week filing an official request with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Sara Schaefer, wildlife supervisor with the DNR, said she does not anticipate any delays surrounding the city's request, which will require specific details as to the number of deer targeted and when and where the hunts will be held.
She said DNR studies have also shown that deer are destroying natural vegetation and are eroding critical dunes.
In Spring Lake Township, there has not been a formal discussion about the deer problem by the township board. Trustee Ron Lindquist believes the issue will be brought up and agrees with Scarpino that there must be a regional approach to the problem.
"I can't speak for the entire board, but I agree there needs to be something done for the region," he said. "Deer don't respect governmental unit boundaries."
Grand Haven Township officials discussed a possible deer population problem last spring and set up a formal system to collect and track property damage complaints involving deer through Geographic Information System maps. Superintendent/Manager Bill Cargo said deer complaints are being placed on a GIS map as they are received.
The township traditionally receives about a dozen deer complaints a year. He said there is no data at present showing the township has exceeded the "healthy" limit of about 600 deer for the township.
Source: MLive
Increasingly, residents and naturalists concerned with the problem are confronting area governmental officials with damage being caused by foraging deer. Most governmental units in this part of the county have discussed the deer situation.
Action plans being considered range from studying the issue further to actively pursuing deer culling this fall.
Grand Haven is planning another deer culling this fall after it hired sharpshooters a year ago to kill 19 deer on Harbor Island and in Lake Forest Cemetery.
And late last month, the Ferrysburg City Council agreed to form a task force to look into the problem of deer damaging the city's fragile dune ecosystem. Area townships, where the problem does not appear to be as bad, are monitoring the deer population issue.
Ferrysburg City Council member Tim Scarpino, who will serve on that city's deer task force along with council members Regina Sjoberg and Dan Ruiter, said he believes area governmental units eventually will have to take a regional approach to the problem.
"We can remove all of the deer in Ferrysburg and they will migrate back," he said. "It's obvious, we're all going to have to work together."
Scarpino said Ferrysburg's interest in the deer problem stems from the increasing number of complaints being received from residents over the damage to plantings and reports by naturalists of erosion and other damage at the city's Kitchel-Lindquist Dunes Preserve.
Scarpino, who also serves on the Kitchel-Lindquist Dunes Preserve Board, said environmental consultant William Martinus recently complied a natural-features inventory of the preserve and reported significant damage from deer.
Martinus said deer slowly have been stripping away plants that grow in the dune understory, the area of ground beneath the forest canopy. In addition, many preserve plants found in great numbers during the 1970s were not found during the most recent inventory. Martinus found little or no regeneration of tree seedlings or saplings, while remaining plants often show few blooms. Deer eat tree saplings and seedlings that are native to Michigan, including maple, oak, beech, cherry, basswood, cedar and butternut.
And these native plants are being replaced by nonnative and invasive species that deer will not eat, including garlic mustard. "There's almost nothing native in the understory," he said. "We don't even know if the seeds of the plants are there any more."
Scarpino envisions the task force reviewing information gathered to date before formulating a response, which could include a regional approach.
"We've been told from representatives that the larger the area you work with, the more options you have," he said. "In my mind, that sets the stage for a regional effort. But that depends on each government."
In Grand Haven, officials once again are seeking a fall and winter deer cull and discussed last week filing an official request with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Sara Schaefer, wildlife supervisor with the DNR, said she does not anticipate any delays surrounding the city's request, which will require specific details as to the number of deer targeted and when and where the hunts will be held.
She said DNR studies have also shown that deer are destroying natural vegetation and are eroding critical dunes.
In Spring Lake Township, there has not been a formal discussion about the deer problem by the township board. Trustee Ron Lindquist believes the issue will be brought up and agrees with Scarpino that there must be a regional approach to the problem.
"I can't speak for the entire board, but I agree there needs to be something done for the region," he said. "Deer don't respect governmental unit boundaries."
Grand Haven Township officials discussed a possible deer population problem last spring and set up a formal system to collect and track property damage complaints involving deer through Geographic Information System maps. Superintendent/Manager Bill Cargo said deer complaints are being placed on a GIS map as they are received.
The township traditionally receives about a dozen deer complaints a year. He said there is no data at present showing the township has exceeded the "healthy" limit of about 600 deer for the township.
Source: MLive
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
MICHIGAN NEWS: Deer Populations Grow, Native Plants Disappear Garlic Mustard Invades Dune Ecosystem
A burgeoning deer population is threatening the delicate ecosystem of a protected, 115-acre dunes area in southwestern Michigan.
The city of Ferrysburg has formed an ad-hoc committee to look into the problem. Councilman Tim Scarpino, a committee member, said he wants all options -- including culling the herd -- left on the table.
"The less that is done now, the more that will have to be done later," he said.
There appear to be more deer than ever roaming the Kitchel-Lindquist Dunes Preserve, which is in the neighboring city of Grand Haven but owned by Ferrysburg. The animals are feasting on several rare, native plants and their paths are eroding the landscape of the dunes, Scarpino said.
Deer have been slowly stripping the plants that grow in the dunes' understory, the area of ground beneath its forest canopy, said William Martinus, an environmental consultant who has compiled natural-features inventories for the preserve.
Many plants found there in great numbers during the 1970s were not seen during a recent search, Martinus said. There is little to no regeneration of tree seedlings or saplings, while remaining plants often show few blooms.
"There's almost nothing native in the understory," he told the Grand Haven Tribune for a story published Monday. "We don't even know if the seeds of the plants are there anymore."
The deer eat tree saplings and seedlings that are native to Michigan, including maple, oak, beech, cherry, basswood, cedar and butternut, he said.
The native plants are being replaced by nonnative and often invasive species that the deer won't eat. Species that are moving in include garlic mustard, a plant that stifles tree growth, Martinus said.
Reducing the herd is one way to help native plants return to the preserve, he said.
There are several ways to do shrink deer herds but the most effective can be some combination of methods that include fencing, scent repellents, scare tactics and a controlled hunt, said Nik Kalejs, a wildlife habitat biologist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
Source: Chicago Tribune
The city of Ferrysburg has formed an ad-hoc committee to look into the problem. Councilman Tim Scarpino, a committee member, said he wants all options -- including culling the herd -- left on the table.
"The less that is done now, the more that will have to be done later," he said.
There appear to be more deer than ever roaming the Kitchel-Lindquist Dunes Preserve, which is in the neighboring city of Grand Haven but owned by Ferrysburg. The animals are feasting on several rare, native plants and their paths are eroding the landscape of the dunes, Scarpino said.
Deer have been slowly stripping the plants that grow in the dunes' understory, the area of ground beneath its forest canopy, said William Martinus, an environmental consultant who has compiled natural-features inventories for the preserve.
Many plants found there in great numbers during the 1970s were not seen during a recent search, Martinus said. There is little to no regeneration of tree seedlings or saplings, while remaining plants often show few blooms.
"There's almost nothing native in the understory," he told the Grand Haven Tribune for a story published Monday. "We don't even know if the seeds of the plants are there anymore."
The deer eat tree saplings and seedlings that are native to Michigan, including maple, oak, beech, cherry, basswood, cedar and butternut, he said.
The native plants are being replaced by nonnative and often invasive species that the deer won't eat. Species that are moving in include garlic mustard, a plant that stifles tree growth, Martinus said.
Reducing the herd is one way to help native plants return to the preserve, he said.
There are several ways to do shrink deer herds but the most effective can be some combination of methods that include fencing, scent repellents, scare tactics and a controlled hunt, said Nik Kalejs, a wildlife habitat biologist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
Source: Chicago Tribune
Friday, June 05, 2009
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION: Deer Browsing on Mayapple
Last weekend a student of mine was out in south central Ohio, where she observed a significant amount of deer browsing on mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum). There is no question it was deer (and not a mower or slugs or groundhogs).
This is something I have not observed directly. Mayapple contains podophyllotoxin, which is lethal to people in relatively small doses. LD50s for mice and rabbits are 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg, respectively.
Any observations (both observations of browsing and observations of never having seen the plant browsed) would be appreciated. Please include your location (western North Carolina, southeastern Maine, etc.).
This is something I have not observed directly. Mayapple contains podophyllotoxin, which is lethal to people in relatively small doses. LD50s for mice and rabbits are 100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg, respectively.
Any observations (both observations of browsing and observations of never having seen the plant browsed) would be appreciated. Please include your location (western North Carolina, southeastern Maine, etc.).
Monday, October 27, 2008
RESEARCH NEWS: Deer Elevate Local Animal Diversity
Katherine Greenwald and colleagues recently published a paper in the Journal of Wildlife Management (2008: 72:1318-1321) that reports higher levels of animal diversity in areas with deer relative to deer exclusion plots. The experiment was conducted in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park in NE Ohio. Deer exclosures were built in 1999, and were 10 x 10 m in size. The study of animal diversity was conducted in 2004 and 2005.
Key findings included:
1. Red-backed salamanders were about three times more abundant in deer plots.
2. Snakes were about five times more abundant in deer plots.
3. Gastropods (i.e. snails and slugs) were about 10% higher in deer plots.
To date, there have been relatively few studies conducted on relationships between deer browsing and animals, and as such this represents an important contribution. However, the results are somewhat surprising. All previous work (just 3 studies to my knowledge) has revealed negative relationships between gastropods and deer browsing. This is a counterintuitive result.
Conversely, the findings involving browsing and snakes makes sense. Snakes are ectotherms and would benefit from more open conditions, presumably.
I am surprised by the strong response of salamanders to deer. I would have expected a weaker response, and I would have expected a negative relationship between salamanders and deer.
This study reported some interesting patterns, but I do not know how generalizable they are. I hope there is some follow-up research forthcoming.
Key findings included:
1. Red-backed salamanders were about three times more abundant in deer plots.
2. Snakes were about five times more abundant in deer plots.
3. Gastropods (i.e. snails and slugs) were about 10% higher in deer plots.
To date, there have been relatively few studies conducted on relationships between deer browsing and animals, and as such this represents an important contribution. However, the results are somewhat surprising. All previous work (just 3 studies to my knowledge) has revealed negative relationships between gastropods and deer browsing. This is a counterintuitive result.
Conversely, the findings involving browsing and snakes makes sense. Snakes are ectotherms and would benefit from more open conditions, presumably.
I am surprised by the strong response of salamanders to deer. I would have expected a weaker response, and I would have expected a negative relationship between salamanders and deer.
This study reported some interesting patterns, but I do not know how generalizable they are. I hope there is some follow-up research forthcoming.
Monday, April 02, 2007
PENNSYLVANIA NEWS: Forest Regeneration Failure at 75% Statewide
PITTSBURGH - A new state survey shows that Pennsylvania's deer herd is nibbling away at new growth in the state's forest lands at an alarming rate.
Nearly 42,000 plots surveyed from the air in 19 of the state's 20 forest districts show a lack of new, woody growth. Less than 25 percent of the plots in the state showed a desirable level of new vegetation.
The areas with the worst growth were the Weiser, Kittanning, Wyoming, Sproul and Delaware state forests in north-central Pennsylvania.
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Michael DiBerardinis called the results of the recent air survey troubling.
The information gathered will be used to direct hunters to certain forest areas, so the deer herd can be thinned more in those areas where deer are nibbling away at new plants and trees, DiBerardinis said.
Hunters killed 361,560 deer in 2006, 2 percent more than in 2005. It was the first time the deer kill increased since 2002. Hunters killed 135,290 bucks last year, a 12 percent increase over 2005.
Source: http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/sports/colleges/mercer/17014721.htm
Nearly 42,000 plots surveyed from the air in 19 of the state's 20 forest districts show a lack of new, woody growth. Less than 25 percent of the plots in the state showed a desirable level of new vegetation.
The areas with the worst growth were the Weiser, Kittanning, Wyoming, Sproul and Delaware state forests in north-central Pennsylvania.
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Michael DiBerardinis called the results of the recent air survey troubling.
The information gathered will be used to direct hunters to certain forest areas, so the deer herd can be thinned more in those areas where deer are nibbling away at new plants and trees, DiBerardinis said.
Hunters killed 361,560 deer in 2006, 2 percent more than in 2005. It was the first time the deer kill increased since 2002. Hunters killed 135,290 bucks last year, a 12 percent increase over 2005.
Source: http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/sports/colleges/mercer/17014721.htm
Thursday, March 22, 2007
RESEARCH NEWS: Deer Impacts in Pennsylvania Forests Are Pandemic
Browse Monitoring Uncovers Troubling Data in State Woodlands
HARRISBURG, Pa., March 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Preliminary
findings from ongoing, extensive state forest studies of the effect of
white-tailed deer populations on woodland regeneration show habitat damage
is the heaviest in the north central and Pocono Mountains areas of the
state, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Michael
DiBerardinis said today.
"Like our past surveys from the air, this unprecedented study on the
ground of what deer eat, or browse, is proving to be an invaluable tool in
understanding deer densities and distribution in our state forestlands, and
it is guiding future DCNR efforts to ensure forest regeneration and healthy
habitat," said DiBerardinis.
"And, like those aerial counts, these browse-study findings are just a
single snap-shot in time, incapable of documenting whether forest habitat
health is improving or declining. They will, however, provide a meaningful
baseline to compare in future trend analyses."
The browse studies, which were conducted last year and covered almost
90 percent of the state forest system, showed findings the secretary deemed
"troubling."
"Across the entire state forest system, less than 25 percent of the
41,650 plots showed desirable regeneration, and almost 45 percent of the
plots lacked any new, woody growth," DiBerardinis said. "The problem is
more acute in the state's north central 'big woods' section where almost 50
percent of the study plots show no woody regeneration and only about 20
percent desirable regeneration. The most severely browsed habitats were
documented in the north central and Pocono regions of the state.
"For these reasons, it would be premature to draw any conclusions that
would support an increased deer herd, even in areas where we observed
relatively low-browse damage," DiBerardinis said.
The secretary applauded the commitment of Bureau of Forestry personnel
from 19 of the state's 20 state forest districts who undertook the browse
studies during early spring in 2006.
"Never has there been an undertaking of this magnitude in which data
from 1,600 miles of transects was entered into the bureau database for
analysis," said DiBerardinis. "These researchers are foresters first, but
they also are hunters and naturalists and all are dedicated to restoring
forests to a healthy level where deer and other wildlife have sufficient
food and cover."
"We will use this detailed vegetation analysis in conjunction with past
aerial surveys to help guide our management decisions and adjust our
efforts to steer hunters to certain state forest areas in the 2007-2008
hunting season," DiBerardinis said.
Transects, which are lines for ecological measurements, were spaced two
miles apart. They were sampled by visiting vegetative plots every 200 feet,
recording woody species, and assigning a browsing category to that species
at that plot. Also, presence or absence data was recorded for "desirable"
and "undesirable" woody vegetation at every plot.
Woody plants include trees, shrubs and vines. Woody plants dominate the
vegetation wherever conditions are favorable for plant growth. Deer feed on
the leaves, twigs and buds of these plants.
Other survey findings include:
-- Data gathered aided in development of a preliminary deer-browsing
preference index for woody species observed, which will help guide
future monitoring efforts and provide browse intensity indicators;
-- Across the state, the proportion of plots with desirable regeneration
(24.45 percent) and lack of woody regeneration (44.45 percent) indicate
browsing has not been suppressed long enough for a widespread
regeneration response;
-- Identifying browsing impact from lowest to most severe, the Forest
Districts ranked as follows: relatively lightly browsed with better
regeneration -- Lackawanna, Buchanan, Michaux, Tiadaghton, Tuscarora,
Gallitzin, and Cornplanter; relatively moderately browsed with less
regeneration -- Moshannon, Susquehannock, Rothrock, Forbes, Bald Eagle,
and Tioga; relatively severely browsed with poor regeneration --
Weiser, Kittanning, Wyoming, Sproul, Delaware and Elk;
-- Monitoring will continue to locate other areas of continued
excessive browsing where deer harvests should be increased, and these
efforts will be coordinated in the State Forest Management Plan.
Details on the 2006 state forest deer browse study, as well as DCNR's
aerial surveys and other information on deer, can be found online at
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us and select "State Forests."
Source: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/03-22-2007/0004551483&EDATE=
HARRISBURG, Pa., March 22 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Preliminary
findings from ongoing, extensive state forest studies of the effect of
white-tailed deer populations on woodland regeneration show habitat damage
is the heaviest in the north central and Pocono Mountains areas of the
state, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Michael
DiBerardinis said today.
"Like our past surveys from the air, this unprecedented study on the
ground of what deer eat, or browse, is proving to be an invaluable tool in
understanding deer densities and distribution in our state forestlands, and
it is guiding future DCNR efforts to ensure forest regeneration and healthy
habitat," said DiBerardinis.
"And, like those aerial counts, these browse-study findings are just a
single snap-shot in time, incapable of documenting whether forest habitat
health is improving or declining. They will, however, provide a meaningful
baseline to compare in future trend analyses."
The browse studies, which were conducted last year and covered almost
90 percent of the state forest system, showed findings the secretary deemed
"troubling."
"Across the entire state forest system, less than 25 percent of the
41,650 plots showed desirable regeneration, and almost 45 percent of the
plots lacked any new, woody growth," DiBerardinis said. "The problem is
more acute in the state's north central 'big woods' section where almost 50
percent of the study plots show no woody regeneration and only about 20
percent desirable regeneration. The most severely browsed habitats were
documented in the north central and Pocono regions of the state.
"For these reasons, it would be premature to draw any conclusions that
would support an increased deer herd, even in areas where we observed
relatively low-browse damage," DiBerardinis said.
The secretary applauded the commitment of Bureau of Forestry personnel
from 19 of the state's 20 state forest districts who undertook the browse
studies during early spring in 2006.
"Never has there been an undertaking of this magnitude in which data
from 1,600 miles of transects was entered into the bureau database for
analysis," said DiBerardinis. "These researchers are foresters first, but
they also are hunters and naturalists and all are dedicated to restoring
forests to a healthy level where deer and other wildlife have sufficient
food and cover."
"We will use this detailed vegetation analysis in conjunction with past
aerial surveys to help guide our management decisions and adjust our
efforts to steer hunters to certain state forest areas in the 2007-2008
hunting season," DiBerardinis said.
Transects, which are lines for ecological measurements, were spaced two
miles apart. They were sampled by visiting vegetative plots every 200 feet,
recording woody species, and assigning a browsing category to that species
at that plot. Also, presence or absence data was recorded for "desirable"
and "undesirable" woody vegetation at every plot.
Woody plants include trees, shrubs and vines. Woody plants dominate the
vegetation wherever conditions are favorable for plant growth. Deer feed on
the leaves, twigs and buds of these plants.
Other survey findings include:
-- Data gathered aided in development of a preliminary deer-browsing
preference index for woody species observed, which will help guide
future monitoring efforts and provide browse intensity indicators;
-- Across the state, the proportion of plots with desirable regeneration
(24.45 percent) and lack of woody regeneration (44.45 percent) indicate
browsing has not been suppressed long enough for a widespread
regeneration response;
-- Identifying browsing impact from lowest to most severe, the Forest
Districts ranked as follows: relatively lightly browsed with better
regeneration -- Lackawanna, Buchanan, Michaux, Tiadaghton, Tuscarora,
Gallitzin, and Cornplanter; relatively moderately browsed with less
regeneration -- Moshannon, Susquehannock, Rothrock, Forbes, Bald Eagle,
and Tioga; relatively severely browsed with poor regeneration --
Weiser, Kittanning, Wyoming, Sproul, Delaware and Elk;
-- Monitoring will continue to locate other areas of continued
excessive browsing where deer harvests should be increased, and these
efforts will be coordinated in the State Forest Management Plan.
Details on the 2006 state forest deer browse study, as well as DCNR's
aerial surveys and other information on deer, can be found online at
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us and select "State Forests."
Source: http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/03-22-2007/0004551483&EDATE=
Sunday, May 07, 2006
MINNESOTA NEWS: Deer descimate state Scientific & Natural Area
The Department of Natural Resources is proposing a deer kill on an island in Pokegama Lake, where deer have been decimating a rare evergreen bush.
Canadian yew once covered vast areas of Minnesota's northern hardwood forests, but in recent years only a few scraggly stems of the shrubs are found spread across the region.
Logging and clearing for homes left yew shrubs in many area exposed to direct sunlight, which they can't tolerate. On top of that, deer consider yews a delicacy.
A dramatic increase in Minnesota's deer herd has resulted in a further decline in Canadian yew bushes.
In 1992, many yew were found on 28-acre Chisholm Point Island in Cohasset. Old-growth maples shaded the ground, and big yew - in some places as tall as a person - covered nearly half the island.
The state purchased the island and designated it as a state Scientific and Natural Area in 2002.
But deer discovered the yew two years later, when they began wading out to the island and crossing over ice for the first time in memory.
"Back in the 1980s, there were spots so thick with yew that you couldn't walk through it. It was like a rain forest," said Randy McCarty, who lives on the lake near the island. "Now, there are deer trails everywhere where there weren't any.... There are places where the yew is literally gone, wiped out."
Steve Wilson, Scientific and Natural Area specialist for the DNR in northern Minnesota, visited the island in January and discovered deer were decimating the remaining yew. He knew he needed to take action.
"It's amazing how fast it's happened. When I went back this winter, it was much worse than last summer," Wilson said. "If we don't do something right now, we're going to lose it all."
The DNR plans to build fencing around some remaining stands of yew this summer, and plans are in the works to allow bow hunters to kill deer on the island this fall.
The DNR holds a public hearing Tuesday on the deer-hunting plan.
If a public deer hunt doesn't trim herd numbers, the DNR may move to a more intensive special-permit hunt in 2007. The DNR also may allow hunters to shoot more deer in a broader area around Pokegama Lake.
As a last resort, sharpshooters may be called in to trim deer that are frequenting the island, especially during the winter.
Wilson said the effort to save the yew isn't just an ecological issue.
"Remember that it's the related (Pacific) yew that gave us Taxol," Wilson said of the now-famous chemotherapy drug. "We don't want to lose something and then discover what it might have given us."
"If we don't do something right now, we're going to lose it all."
Canadian yew once covered vast areas of Minnesota's northern hardwood forests, but in recent years only a few scraggly stems of the shrubs are found spread across the region.
Logging and clearing for homes left yew shrubs in many area exposed to direct sunlight, which they can't tolerate. On top of that, deer consider yews a delicacy.
A dramatic increase in Minnesota's deer herd has resulted in a further decline in Canadian yew bushes.
In 1992, many yew were found on 28-acre Chisholm Point Island in Cohasset. Old-growth maples shaded the ground, and big yew - in some places as tall as a person - covered nearly half the island.
The state purchased the island and designated it as a state Scientific and Natural Area in 2002.
But deer discovered the yew two years later, when they began wading out to the island and crossing over ice for the first time in memory.
"Back in the 1980s, there were spots so thick with yew that you couldn't walk through it. It was like a rain forest," said Randy McCarty, who lives on the lake near the island. "Now, there are deer trails everywhere where there weren't any.... There are places where the yew is literally gone, wiped out."
Steve Wilson, Scientific and Natural Area specialist for the DNR in northern Minnesota, visited the island in January and discovered deer were decimating the remaining yew. He knew he needed to take action.
"It's amazing how fast it's happened. When I went back this winter, it was much worse than last summer," Wilson said. "If we don't do something right now, we're going to lose it all."
The DNR plans to build fencing around some remaining stands of yew this summer, and plans are in the works to allow bow hunters to kill deer on the island this fall.
The DNR holds a public hearing Tuesday on the deer-hunting plan.
If a public deer hunt doesn't trim herd numbers, the DNR may move to a more intensive special-permit hunt in 2007. The DNR also may allow hunters to shoot more deer in a broader area around Pokegama Lake.
As a last resort, sharpshooters may be called in to trim deer that are frequenting the island, especially during the winter.
Wilson said the effort to save the yew isn't just an ecological issue.
"Remember that it's the related (Pacific) yew that gave us Taxol," Wilson said of the now-famous chemotherapy drug. "We don't want to lose something and then discover what it might have given us."
"If we don't do something right now, we're going to lose it all."
Saturday, April 15, 2006
MICHIGAN NEWS: The end of a wildflower festival
The Grand Rapids Press
In wooded groves across Michigan, the forest floor each spring transforms into a brilliant carpet of white.
White is the symbol of light, signifying joy and glory. The trillium no doubt inspired joy among Jesuit priests sent to Canada to teach Christianity to the native people.
According to legend, the three white petals were used to teach them about the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and the little star-shaped green leaves behind the flower were used to explain the miracle of Christ's birth.
Good luck finding one today. White-tailed deer are devouring trillium out of existence in some areas of Michigan. An annual trillium festival at P.J. Hoffmaster Park in Muskegon, launched in 1985, was renamed Spring Blooms in the Dunes last year because few trilliums were left.
There's no festival this May; the deer took care of the wildflowers, too.
In wooded groves across Michigan, the forest floor each spring transforms into a brilliant carpet of white.
White is the symbol of light, signifying joy and glory. The trillium no doubt inspired joy among Jesuit priests sent to Canada to teach Christianity to the native people.
According to legend, the three white petals were used to teach them about the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and the little star-shaped green leaves behind the flower were used to explain the miracle of Christ's birth.
Good luck finding one today. White-tailed deer are devouring trillium out of existence in some areas of Michigan. An annual trillium festival at P.J. Hoffmaster Park in Muskegon, launched in 1985, was renamed Spring Blooms in the Dunes last year because few trilliums were left.
There's no festival this May; the deer took care of the wildflowers, too.
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