GDG- FW: Park Deer Management Program Will Run October Through March

[Robert Lawrence]

<<-----Original Message-----
<<From: Katie_Lawhon at nps.gov [mailto:Katie_Lawhon at nps.gov] 
<<Sent: Friday, September 14, 2007 8:37 AM
<<Subject: Park Deer Management Program Will Run October Through March 
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<<National Park Service
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<< U.S. Department of the        Gettysburg            97 
<<Taneytown Road    
<< Interior                      National Military     
<<Gettysburg, PA 17325 
<<                               Park                           
<<            
<<                                                     
<<717/334-1124 phone   
<<                                                     717/ 
<<334-1891 fax    
<<                                                              
<<            
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<<Gettysburg National Military Park News Release
<<
<<For Release: September 14, 2007
<<Contact: Katie Lawhon
<<Phone: 717/ 334-1124 x452
<<
<<Park Deer Management Program Will Run October Through March
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<<In October, the National Park Service (NPS) will continue its 
<<program of
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<<deer management at Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower
<<
<<National Historic Site, park officials have announced.
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<<Gettysburg and Eisenhower national parks are reducing the 
<<number of deer in
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<<the parks directly by shooting. All venison will be donated 
<<to area food
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<<banks. Hunting is not permitted inside the two parks--only qualified
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<<federal employees will take part in the effort to reduce the herd.
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<<"Deer management is an unfortunate necessity of preserving 
<<the Gettysburg
<<
<<and Eisenhower parks. Intense browsing by high numbers of 
<<deer damages the
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<<historic landscapes. We need to protect the historic woodlots 
<<and the farm
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<<fields in order to tell the story of these two parks," said park
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<<Superintendent John Latschar.
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<<The deer management program will continue through the end of 
<<March. Annual
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<<deer reductions will continue from October through March each year, as
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<<necessary. A deer reduction community safety committee meets 
<<as needed on
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<<matters of public safety related to the program. The 
<<committee is composed
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<<of the local Pennsylvania Game Commission officer, the Chiefs 
<<of Police
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<<from Gettysburg Borough and Cumberland Township, the Chairman of the
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<<Gettysburg National Military Park Advisory Commission and the park
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<<Superintendent, Chief Ranger, and Natural Resource Specialist.
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<<In 1995 an Environmental Impact Statement described and considered a
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<<variety of options for meeting park objectives for deer management,
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<<including public hunting, relocation, and the use of sterilization and
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<<contraception. Hundreds of people participated in the public 
<<review of the
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<<EIS and many commented on it in writing. The NPS decided to reduce the
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<<number of deer in the parks through shooting.
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<<A deer density goal of 25 deer per square mile of forest was 
<<established in
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<<the EIS. The park has now reached that goal and will continue 
<<to manage
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<<deer to maintain the level of 25 deer per square mile of forest.
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<<                                  - END -
<<
<<Experience Your America
<<The National Park Service cares for special places saved by 
<<the American people so that all may experience our heritage.
<<
<<