Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Consultant: Overabundant deer have stripped understory at Dobbs Ferry preserve; monitoring, invasive removal recommended
Summary
A consultant told the Dobbs Ferry Board of Trustees that high white-tailed deer density has reduced understory vegetation and midstory regeneration in the village preserve, raising erosion and habitat concerns; she recommended monitoring every two to three years and active invasive-species management to restore forest structure.
Danielle Begley Miller, founder and CEO of Forest Management Solutions LLC, told the Dobbs Ferry Board of Trustees on Jan. 20 that her deer-impact assessment of the village preserve found ‘‘overwhelming evidence’’ of high deer numbers and heavy browsing that have left the understory sparse and reduced midstory regeneration.
Miller said white-tailed deer can have outsized effects on forest structure because of feeding habits: ‘‘a 100-pound deer eat somewhere between 6 and 8 pounds of vegetation per day,’’ she told the board, and that intensive browsing produces a clear ‘‘browse line’’ with lush growth above 6 feet and near-total removal below that height. The assessment surveyed five…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
