Deer Management Plan: Hemlock Overlook Regional Park, Fairfax County

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Deer Management Plan Hemlock Overlook Regional
Park, Fairfax County

• Sean Campbell
• Craig Shafer
• Jessica Trice

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Outline of Discussion

• Environmental and social impacts of deer
  overabundance
• Description of management area
• Management Plan
• Implementation
• Monitoring and assessment
• Brief budget and timeline

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Proximal Causes of Deer Overabundance
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Lyme Disease

• White-tailed deer appears to be the primary
  reservoir, but rodents have also been implicated
• Statistics
• Since 1995, the number of Lyme disease cases
  reported in Fairfax County have risen and in 2007
  there were 158 reported cases
• Loudoun County, which has a large deer
  population, has the
• highest per capita incidence of Lyme Disease
  cases reported in the commonwealth
• Suggests a strong upward trend in incidence where
• there are large populations of white-tailed deer

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Vehicle Collisions

• Increased deer populations can become a safety
  hazard for drivers
• Virginia had the eighth highest total number of
  deer-vehicle collisions in the United States over
  the 2007-08 time period
• Statistics
• During 1998-1999 4,000-5,000 deer vehicle
  collisions occurred resulting in an average
  property damage of 1,982 per vehicle
• That is around 9.9 million dollars/year

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Ornamental Plant Damage

• Ornamental Plant damage is estimated to be over 1
  million dollars annually in Fairfax County
• Planting less palatable plants has been
  ineffective

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Biodiversity Impacts

• Lack of regeneration of canopy trees
• Altered forest shrub layer
• Diminished herbaceous plant species
• Diminished ground and shrub nesting bird species
• Diminished small mammal habitat

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Hemlock Overlook

• 426 acres within 5,000 acres of Regional Parkland
  along the western border of Fairfax County
• Jointly operated with George Mason
• Thousands of acres of private land adjacent to
  the parkland

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Field Observations

• Ample deer sign
• Current deer management
• Deer fence located on one property
• Authorized for sharpshooting

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Management Plan Monitoring

• Monitoring deer populations
• Spotlight and camera surveys
• Monitoring habitat
• Exclosures
• Pre and Post Assessment

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Management Plan Implementation

• Herd Reduction
• Recreational hunts
• Sharpshooting

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Management Plan Implementation

• Education Program
• Lectures
• Education materials
• Field Education

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Budget and Timeline
Time Activity
2009 August Exclosure areas erected
2009 September Monitoring using spotlight and infared camera surveys
2009 (and each year after) March August Quota hunt applications due
2009 (and each year after) November December Recreational Hunting on designated Tuesdays and Wednesdays
2010 (and each year after) January Sharp-shooting once a week at night by local police officers
2010 (6 months after hunts) July Spotlight survey
2010 (and each year after) Sept and May Survey exclosures for vegetation diversity and growth
2010 (and each year after) December Evaluate education program and send out additional education materials to community
Everyday (starting in August 2009) Programs on deer biology/ecology and field experiences for schools as well as the community
COSTS
Developing education classes/programs 25 hours/ 12 hour 300
Printing handouts/mailing pamphlets 350
Deer survey equipment spotlights, cameras 500
Habitat surveying equipment fences, ropes, stakes 300
Educational kiosk 100
Managing hunting days, deer surveys, education 12/hour incorporated into managers job tasks
TOTAL 1900
INCOME
Quota Hunt Applications 10 each 150 (estimated) 1500
Park Hunt Passes 15 each 30 hunter 450
TOTAL 1950

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Questions??