I hope this topic is suitable for MdOsprey and if not, apologies to Norm. I'll understand if it is removed.

Rock Creek Park has published a notice of the availability of a draft Environmental Statement for its deer management plan. Details below. 

I post this for two reasons:

1. The preferred alternative will have some impact on birding, in that the use of sharp shooters mandates the temporary closure of some parts of the park. Typically, sharp-shooters are deployed at night and into the early morning. 

2. Every time a county or park tries to do something to reduce deer herds, there is a huge public outcry. If you support the park's plan - and I am not telling anyone that they should or shouldn't - but IF you do, please take the time to comment. 

To be honest, though, I will say that it is my opinion that the preferred alternative should be supported, for lots of reasons, but for the reason relative to birds - the need to protect understory habitat, which is really gone throughout most of the park.

Immunocontraceptives are typically ineffective in open populations, and it is very hard to imagine that the NPS generally or the Rock Creek Park has enough funding for expensive exclosures - very high fences that also serve to keep birders out. We already have lethal control - unintentional though it may be - in the form of vehicles. 

Ellen Paul
Chevy Chase MD 


he DEIS evaluates four alternatives for 
managing white-tailed deer in the park. The document describes and 
analyzes the environmental impacts of the No-Action Alternative and 
three Action Alternatives. When approved, the plan will guide deer 
management actions in Rock Creek Park over the next 15 years.
    Alternative A (No Action) would continue the existing deer 
management actions and policies of monitoring vegetation, deer density 
and relative numbers, using limited protection fencing and deer 
repellents to protect rare plants in natural areas and small areas in 
landscaped and cultural areas, data management, continuing current 
educational and interpretive measures, as well as inter-jurisdictional 
communication; no new deer management actions would be implemented.
    Alternative B would include all actions described under Alternative 
A, but would incorporate several non-lethal actions to protect forest 
seedlings, promote forest regeneration, and gradually reduce the deer 
numbers in the park. Additional actions under Alternative B would 
include large-scale exclosures (fencing) and reproductive control of 
does via sterilization and immunocontraceptives when feasible.
    Alternative C would include all actions described under Alternative 
A, but would also incorporate two lethal deer management actions to 
reduce the herd size. Additional actions under Alternative C would 
include reduction of the deer herd by either sharpshooting or capture 
and euthanasia of individual deer. Capture and euthanasia of individual 
deer would be an approach used in limited circumstances where 
sharpshooting may not be appropriate.
    Alternative D (the NPS Preferred Alternative) would include all 
actions described under Alternative A, but would also include a 
combination of certain additional lethal and non-lethal actions from 
Alternatives B and C to reduce deer herd numbers. The lethal actions 
would include both sharpshooting and capture/euthanasia and would be 
taken initially to quickly reduce the deer herd numbers. Population 
maintenance would be conducted via reproductive control methods if 
these are available and feasible. Sharpshooting would be used as a 
default option for maintenance if reproductive control methods would 
prove to be unavailable and infeasible. Alternative D would fully meet 
the plan objectives and has more certainty of success than the other 
alternatives analyzed. The relatively rapid reduction in both deer 
density and browsing pressure on native plant communities and species 
of special concern would provide beneficial impacts to the natural and 
cultural resources of the park.

ADDRESSES: The DEIS and White-tailed Deer Management Plan will be 
available for public review on the NPS Planning, Environment and Public 
Comment (PEPC) Web site at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/rocr by 
selecting the link ``Deer Management Plan for Rock Creek Park.'' Bound 
copies of the DEIS and White-tailed Deer Management Plan will also be 
available at the Rock Creek Park Nature Center, 5200 Glover Road, NW., 
Washington, DC; at Rock Creek Park Headquarters, 3545 Williamsburg 
Lane, NW., Washington, DC; and at public libraries adjacent to Rock 
Creek Park.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Adrienne A. Coleman, Superintendent, 
Rock Creek Park, 3545 Williamsburg Lane, NW., Washington, DC 20008, 
(202) 895-6000.
    Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or 
other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be 
aware that your entire comment--including your personal identifying 
information--may be made publicly available at any time. Although you 
can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying 
information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be 
able to do so. We will make all submissions from organizations, 
businesses, or individuals identifying themselves as representatives or 
officials of organizations or businesses, available for public 
inspection in their entirety.