TOWN OF GUILFORD 31 Park Street GUILFORD, CONNECTICUT SETTLED IN 1639

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1 TOWN OF GUILFORD 31 Park Street GUILFORD, CONNECTICUT SETTLED IN 1639 TELEPHONE (203) FAX (203) EAST RIVER PRESERVE DEER STUDY COMMITTEE DRAFT MEETING MINUTES NOVEMBER 29, :30 P.M. GUILFORD TOWN HALL Selectman s Meeting Room Present: Members: Susan Clark; Connie Frontis; Bill Logiodice; Harry Moscovitz; Elyse Santagata; Harvey Smith, Chairman Alternates: Town Officials: Others: Absent: Dave Francis, Phil LoGiudice Gary MacElhiney, Selectman, Kevin Magee, Environmental Planner Paul Mei, New England Trails; Scott Williams, CT Agricultural Service Robert Davidson Chairman Smith called the meeting to order at 7:40 p.m. 1. Discussion with Suzanne Paton, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Ms. Paton has a Master s Degree in Wildlife Biology and has worked for the US Fish and Wildlife Service in Rhode Island since the 1990 s. The Rhode Island National Refuge Complex consists of over 5,000 acres with a wide variety of habitats including coastal and forested zones. A deer management program was recently instituted on parcels on Block Island. ERP Deer Committee Draft Minutes

2 The US Fish and Wildlife Service has a mandate to take into consideration biological diversity and ecological integrity of wildlife habitats. The main issue in New England is that when the top portion of the predator chain is removed, then everything else in the system shifts and changes. There are no top predators of deer, but they do succumb to other factors such as disease. That only happens when there has already been damage to the ecological system. Ms. Paton noted that in her experience, many people interested in conserving land believe that when a piece of land is set aside, that is all you have to do. Unless a piece of land is completely intact and all species are present on the parcel of land, a hands off approach is not best for the ecosystem. Ms. Paton has spent much of her focus on birds, and her basic message is that if deer are eating abundantly, than other species are not getting food. Populations of ground nesting birds that nest in low vegetation decline when there is a high deer population. When one species shifts, there is a risk of losing a lot of other species. Doing nothing to manage the deer population equates to favoring the deer population over other species. When an ecosystem is healthy and in balance, there is a diversity of wildlife. Determining what to do and how to do it is the most difficult decision in managing an ecosystem. The decision to allow hunting on two Rhode Island properties was made as the result of extensive deer browse and aerial surveys which indicated high deer densities. On Block Island there is a refuge of approximately 100 acres with a deer density of 24 deer per square mile, which exceeds recommendations. Ninegret, a coastal zone refuge of about 400 acres, is an important habitat for migratory birds and the New England cottontail. The Wildlife Service is trying to manage both of these species on this refuge, and their food source was browsed away. For this reason, hunting was allowed on the property for the first time this fall (2012). Ms. Paton stated that she has done research using exclusion zones, but due to budgetary constraints the size and number of zones she was allowed to construct was less than optimal and therefore did not provide the data needed. Ideally there should be several exclusion zones in each type of habitat and the area should be large enough to get regeneration and measure a variety of species. In a small area rare plants don t disperse seeds widely, and if deer browse there is no regeneration of that plant. If exclusion zones are set up after an area has been over browsed and there is no seed source left, then excluding deer will not bring about desired results. When deer browse depletes the understory, ground and shrub nesting birds, small mammals, and amphibians also become depleted. While there is resiliency on the part of most species, the depleted species will take a long time to recolonize, and some species probably won t come back. Ms. Clark noted that birds move around and will find an appropriate vacant habitat if it is available. But if there are less and less resources, and they are competing with their own kind for those resources, that is a bad sign. On Block Island, there are three tracts of land where hunting is allowed. This is done collaboratively with other entities on the island. Approximately 40% of Block Island is in some kind of reserve. When ERP Deer Committee Draft Minutes

3 a Public Hearing was held regarding hunting, residents were in favor of hunting to reduce deer numbers because so much damage had been done by the deer. There are three federally protected species on the island, including the American Burying Beetle. Mr. Smith spoke about the history of the agricultural landscape in Connecticut at the turn of the 19 th century, and how stone walls that exist today were once borders for agricultural fields. In the 1800 s residents who made the best use of reclaiming wetlands were applauded. Areas where wetlands were not cleared was the only saving grace for some resilient species. Mr. Moscowitz stated that the ERP is the worst place to control deer population. He is pessimistic that anything will work well due to its location and the fact that it is bordered by other preserves. Guilford is full of deer and woods. How can the deer population successfully be reduced on the ERP, and how long will regrowth take if there is an endless reservoir of deer from bordering properties? Trustom Pond Refuge in Rhode Island is a 700 acre forest. At night deer go outside the boundaries of the refuge and eat cultivated plants in neighboring yards and return to the forest during the day. The deer population is artificially high because of additional food sources outside the forest. Ms. Paton noted that the proximity of preserves next to people s yards is an issue throughout the Northeast. This is the challenge of the landscape we live in. Ms. Paton noted that the ERP was hunted prior to the Town s acquisition of the property, so the best chance to protect the property is to be proactive and act now, before any species are lost. Deer have an innate desire not to be shot, so hunting would just push the problem onto other areas. If the overall goal of a deer management program is to maintain the overall ecosystem, you can educate people s mindsets to be comfortable with the management program. As deer populations expand, towns are struggling to keep ahead of the deer. Mr. Francis noted that if you don t start somewhere, the problem will keep growing. Mr. Moscowitz stated that you want to start somewhere that will work. Ms. Paton noted that there is plenty of good food in the ERP for the deer and it is a safe location for them. Ms. Clark noted that the deer on Block Island are a closed population. There is no ultimate fix, but you can try to get the levels down. Mr. Logiodice stated that this committee can t do anything with the properties surrounding the ERP, but the committee can give birds a place to get a foothold, and other animals and plants somewhere to start. Ms. Clark stated that the ERP can act as in island of habitat that has a diversity of population. Birds are place faithful and look for habitats close to where they were. Mr. MacElhiney stated that when the overall ERP Management Plan was formulated, it was with the idea that the plan could serve as a template that other organizations could use. Underlying consideration was given to the fact that if other groups felt the Town s model was successful, it could be adopted by organizations such as the Land Trust. ERP Deer Committee Draft Minutes

4 Discussion was held regarding evidence of illegal hunting that goes on currently on the property. Poaching is done by bow and arrow, crossbows and with 22 s. The privately held 30 acre parcel of the ERP is hunted with the permission of the owners. The goal is to manage the property at a sustainable level. Mr. Williams explained that the CT Agricultural Station is conducting a study with the help of the CDC regarding tick management. The study will take place in Redding in January of The goals is to reduce the tick population by reducing the deer population to 10 per square mile. This study is unique because it will take place in an open bordered area, not an insular area as previous studies have done. Aerial surveys show that deer are true to their home ranges and do not fill voids. They will move to a quiet place only if it is within their home range. They will move to a place with less pressure within their home range. Their home range is an area of about 1 square mile. Ms. Clark and Ms. Paton discussed a real world basis for judgment. Do you kill one species to protect another? Do you control predators of endangered species? Our landscape is fragmented and we are left with an imbalance. How do we restore the integrity of the land and the balance to the ecosystem? The more diversity of an ecosystem you have, the more integrity you have. The question is how to get there. You don t always have the science you would like to base your decisions on. Ms. Clark explained the Precautionary Principle : acting to prevent damage from occurring. Active land management requires more than just a hands off policy. Ms. Frontis asked Ms. Paton if aerial surveys were a valid way to determine deer population. Ms. Paton responded that she would rely on the State s aerial surveys. Browse notice could be used as an index. Plots could be established and monitored for browsed stems and information can be extrapolated from that data. Ms. Paton offered to send Mr. Magee information about the deer hunting programs recently instituted in Rhode Island. The goal of managing a preserve is to maintain the health of the ecosystem and to consider making sure you are managing to maintain the diversity of the ecosystem. Ms. Paton exited the meeting at 8:50 p.m. The Committee discussed coyotes and wolves and their role in the ecosystem. 2. Approval of minutes of the October 15, 2012 East River Preserve Deer Study Committee meeting. The Committee voted to approve the minutes of the October 25, 2012 East River Preserve Deer Study Committee. ERP Deer Committee Draft Minutes

5 3. Discuss and take possible action on plans for future speakers. Chairman Smith asked if the Committee would be agreeable to devoting the next meeting to reviewing the information that has been provided so far. The Committee concurred with Chairman Smith. Ms. Frontis asked if a white board could be made available for the next meeting. 4. Old Business Ms. Clark offered to bring a list for deliberations and steps for decision making. 5. New Business The next meeting will be Tuesday, January 29, 2013 at 7:30 p.m.at Guilford Town Hall. 6. Adjourn. The meeting adjourned at 9:10 p.m. Respectfully Submitted, Karen Quercia, Clerk ERP Deer Committee Draft Minutes