Foresters, bird-watchers, hikers, gardeners, farmers, orchardists and natural resource professionals have at least one thing in common; they are all impacted by white-tailed deer. The Nature Conservancy first rang the alarm bell in 2013 when the organization stated that “no other threat to forested habitats is greater at this point in time – not lack of fire, not habitat conversion, not climate change. We can argue about which threat is more significant than another, but no one who walks the eastern forests today can deny the impact of deer to forest condition.”
Impacts from deer on both the environment and economy continue to rise well beyond historical norms in many states. In many areas of the country deer have changed the composition and structure of forests by feeding on select plant species. Today’s high deer population may shape how the country’s forests look decades from now. Forestry experts warn that the animals are reducing the number of trees and seedlings and affecting which species will survive.
Produced by the Catskill Forest Association, The Growing Deer Debate is a day-long conference being held on Saturday, October 31st in Margaretville, New York. The conference seeks to raise awareness of the deer impact problem on land in the Catskill Mountain Region and throughout the entire eastern United States. A variety of natural resource experts, professionals and authors specializing on the subject will convene to discuss out-of-the-box and cutting edge solutions to reduce impacts. Morning sessions will analyze the multifaceted issue of deer impact on the environment while the afternoon will focus on creating solutions and challenging conventional methods in which deer have been traditionally managed.
The Catskill Forest Association urges all interested parties to join them for a day of discussion, debate and problem solving.
ABOUT THE CONFERENCE:
Saturday, October 31st 2015
9am - 4pm
Margaretville Central School
415 Main Street
Margaretville, NY 12455
Tickets $25.00 in advance. $30.00 at the door.
Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.catskillforest.org
Advance tickets are recommended.
Lunch supplied to all attendees.
ABOUT THE CATSKILL FOREST ASSOCIATION
The mission of the Catskill Forest Association (CFA) is to promote forest stewardship in the Catskill region by forest landowners, timber harvesters, foresters and the general public.
The CFA advocates quality forest management practices for the purpose of improving the health of the forest, preventing threats to the forest ecosystem, and supporting conservation efforts.