Questions and Answers about Wildlife Management

Transcription

1 Questions and Answers about Wildlife Management PH - June 2006

2 NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT The mission of the Geauga Park District is to preserve, conserve, and protect the natural features of Geauga County and to provide the opportunity for people to enjoy and appreciate those resources. A portion of the Park District s mission refers to conservation, the active care of our land. Natural resource management is the process of providing active conservation stewardship, or care of plant and animal species within the various habitats. It often requires proactive measures to control both invasive plants and animal species that alter the balance and health of a natural area. As public and private landowners, we can all do our part to ensure good management and stewardship are part of our conservation ethic. WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT Geauga Park District faces many challenges in maintaining healthy wildlife communities. Wildlife like whitetail deer, wild turkey, beaver, muskrat, eastern coyote, and other species have adapted to landscapes developed by humans. This adaptation has resulted in growing animal populations although there is not sufficient natural habitat to support the needs of all species. This results in a lack of food and shelter for wildlife, the destruction of native plant species, and competition between animal species for the available food sources. Additionally, some of the cultural impacts of wildlife overpopulation are increased numbers of vehicle/wildlife collisions, and damage to crops and private landscaping. Species like beaver and muskrat sometimes pose a challenge to natural resource managers, because they burrow into the dams of lakes and ponds, and cause significant damage to roads and neighboring properties. In order to counteract some of these challenges, Geauga Park District utilizes a number of wildlife management practices. In 2006, Geauga Park District Board of Park Commissioners approved a wildlife management policy to allow controlled hunting. At times, controlled trapping is used to maintain beaver and muskrat. The purpose of this document is to provide answers to the most frequently asked questions about Geauga Park District s Wildlife Management Policy, and its implementation. 1) Does this policy allow for open hunting in the parks? At no time, will Geauga Park District properties be open for public hunting or trapping. Hunting or trapping as wildlife management tools will be strictly controlled. Wildlife control will only occur on specific dates on selected properties identified by Geauga Park District Board of Park Commissioners, and only licensed sportsmen and sportswomen who are residents of Geauga County will be selected to participate. 2) What other choices of wildlife management tools have been used in other parks, and how have they worked? Parks, public, and private agencies in Ohio have experimented with four different methods for controlling wildlife populations. They include: 1) Do Nothing Let nature take its course Result Currently, habitat loss is the single largest impact to species worldwide. As Geauga County continues to expand and develop homes and businesses, habitat is displaced. Any animal has the potential to outgrow and displace other species within its habitat. If these species are not managed in a pro-active manner, our list of rare, threatened, endangered, and extirpated species will continue to grow.

3 2) Contraception/Sterilization Result Various agencies, including Cleveland Metroparks, have experimented with contraception as a tool to control wildlife populations. This method is proven ineffective in controlling deer populations. One of the biggest challenges in achieving sufficient results with this method is implanting or sterilizing a sufficient number of animals to control the population. Furthermore, contraception is not approved by state and federal agencies because it is introducing an unnatural chemical into a wild population. 3) Sharpshooting Result Sharpshooting is the process of using a hired consultant to cull or eliminate a portion of a wildlife population. This process has proven effective for whitetail deer in local parks and communities. Unfortunately, the process is usually implemented after natural resources suffer significant or drastic damage. At this point in time, park commissioners have determined it would be preferable to allow Geauga County sportsmen and sportswomen to assist in the process of controlling wildlife populations. 4) Controlled hunting Result Hunting is a wildlife management tool used throughout the world. The process of allowing sportspersons to harvest wildlife has been proven effective at maintaining healthy populations in a park setting. In many ways, utilizing controlled hunting could be compared to fishing on park property. To ensure the health of ponds or lakes Geauga Park District allows anglers to remove fish, thus ensuring the entire aquatic system remains healthy. In the same way, wildlife species must sometimes be removed to ensure species and habitats remain healthy. 3) Why has Geauga Park District chosen controlled hunting? Geauga Park District has consulted with parks throughout Ohio, and has determined that hunting is a viable management option when used in a proactive approach to maintaining ecosystem health. After researching the other management options outlined above, we decided that controlled hunting is the best management option for this park district. 4) How will Geauga Park District ensure that people are safe while hunts are in progress? Safety will be provided by enforcing strict controls over the hunts when they take place. Strict limits will be placed on hunting areas, hunter education requirements, number of hunters allowed in the field, the type of hunting implements used for harvest, and by keeping the public informed through written letters, signs, and public correspondence. Hunts will be monitored by law enforcement and wildlife officers. 5) How will Geauga Park District ensure that the hunters or trappers selected are knowledgeable, safety conscious, and experienced? When sportsmen and sportswomen are selected to participate in wildlife management control, they will be required to adhere to strict rules and regulations as spelled out by Geauga Park District and Ohio Division of Wildlife. 1) All hunters are required to complete a hunter safety education course prior to receiving an Ohio license. Completion of a trapper education test is required prior to being certified to obtain a trapping permit. 2) Geauga Park District will work with Geauga County sporting goods businesses and/or bow-hunting clubs to ensure bow-hunters complete an accuracy course. 3) Youth Hunters, 17 or younger must be accompanied by an adult during their hunt. 4) All participants will be required to attend a mandatory orientation meeting conducted to ensure safe outdoor activity.

4 6) How will bullets and hunters be kept away from adjacent, private properties? Participants in a hunt will be required to follow all rules and regulations as spelled out by Geauga Park District and Ohio Division of Wildlife, and these rules will be strictly enforced by Geauga Park District rangers and/or other law enforcement officers. Geauga Park District regulation 12.4 specifies that no persons shall hunt, discharge a firearm or any other weapon at any wildlife species within 200 feet of any road, structure, path, and/or parking lot; or on, across, or from any roadway. Some smaller park properties will be deemed unsuitable for this particular wildlife management activity, if safety cannot be ensured. 7) Where will a hunt be held? Plans for controlled hunts will be evaluated by Natural Resource Management, Ranger, and Administrative staff at a variety of park properties. A decision on whether or not to allow hunting will be based on species population numbers, public safety, and maintaining public service for park visitors. 8) When will a hunt be held? All hunting activities will be approved on an individual case by case basis by the Board of Park Commissioners. Hunting will be held at a limited number of park properties when the need has been demonstrated, and appropriate administrative controls are in place to conduct a safe hunt. 9) How many hunters will be on a designated site at the same time? The number of hunters on park property will be determined on a case by case basis with the objective of providing a safe environment for all park patrons, neighboring property owners, and the sportsmen and sportswomen. 10) How will Geauga Park District monitor hunts? Park Rangers will assist Natural Resource Management personnel with planning, implementing, and monitoring these hunts. In addition, Wildlife Officers with Ohio Division of Wildlife will assist park staff with monitoring. Hunters will be required to report their records of harvest to the Geauga Park District Natural Resource Management Department. 11) How will people be notified that a hunt is scheduled, or in progress? The park district will use media releases, targeted mailings to neighboring property owners, and signs to keep neighbors and park visitors informed of any controlled hunts that take place. At times, certain properties may be completely closed to the public, if necessary to ensure public safety. 12) What species currently require management? The purpose of Geauga Park District establishing a wildlife management policy is to effectively manage healthy populations of all species for future generations of Geauga County residents. Currently, we are managing whitetail deer populations. 13) What determines that a species is out of balance? For an ecosystem to be in balance, the land must have enough resources to provide food and shelter for the animals that are living there. Biological Carrying Capacity is a term that refers to the maximum number of animals a park or natural area can support without affecting the health of other plants and animals.

5 14) What causes an imbalance of habitats? A healthy ecosystem is made up of a balance of plants and animals. Over the past 200 years, Geauga County has experienced successive changes of land use, and some species of native wildlife, such as wolves, cougars and bears, have been eliminated from the area, upsetting the balance of predators. The loss of natural predators, coupled with an abundance of food sources created by landscaped lots, active and inactive farms, golf courses and similar development has allowed some animal populations, such as deer and turkey, to expand disproportionately. In addition, many private properties in the county are closed to hunting, resulting in uncontrolled population growth. 15) What studies have officials used to make these wildlife management decisions? Geauga Park District has been consulting with neighboring park districts and conservation agencies for decades. Ohio Division of Wildlife conducts studies and keeps statistics on fish and wildlife populations in Geauga. Wildlife biologists conduct research on population numbers and the biological carrying capacity of the land. Natural resource professionals, through research and study, have calculated how many animals of the various species can thrive per acre of land. For example, in a natural area, the appropriate biological carrying capacity for white tail deer is 5 to 10 animals per square mile. In some Geauga County parks and preserves, a density in excess of 150 deer per square mile have been counted using aerial infrared surveys. The Ohio Division of Wildlife has concluded that the area of Geauga County west of State Route 44 is considered an urban deer zone, meaning Whitetail Deer populations continue to grow and exceed biological carrying capacity. Swine Creek Reservation - 7 deer per square mile Healthy ground cover and understory Geauga Park District also works with fish and wildlife biologists to monitor healthy populations of fish and wildlife species. For example, biologists assist the park in restoring healthy populations of species like the bald eagle, osprey, and brook trout. We conduct an annual Bio-Blitz with professionals in the scientific community to document plant and animal populations in various parks. In addition, Natural Resource Management staff conducts in-house biological assessments and plant studies to assess populations of plant and animal communities prior to any park development. Geauga Park District also sponsors a small grants program to encourage research about animal and plant populations on park properties. 16) How is hunting consistent with Geauga Park District s mission to preserve, conserve and protect natural resources? Conservation is the active care of the land that the park district has preserved; Protection is the act of ensuring that the lands Geauga Park District is charged with managing today will be here for generations to come. Hunting is a management tool that can be utilized to ensure healthy, balanced populations of plants and animals throughout the Park District. Beartown Lakes Reservation - 52 deer per square mile. Ground cover and understory greatly compromised Frohring Meadows -154 deer per square mile Ground cover and understory virtually eliminated, resulting is loss of diverse plant species for public enjoyment and as food sources for wildlife