Assessing & Mitigating Deer Impacts on Woodlands

White-tailed deer are prevalent throughout most eastern US forests and woodlands. As selective browsers they preferentially reduce the abundance of some plant species and as a result may indirectly increase the abundance of less palatable plant species. Several methods are available to assess if deer are impacting tree seedlings and other understory plants. Property size and ownership objectives influence the options available to limit deer impact. Traditional methods of reducing deer impact haven't proven to be effective but may contribute to efforts that exclude deer. 

Presented by: Peter Smallidge, NYS Extension Forester, and Director Arnot Teaching and Research Forest. Cornell University