“What About the Deer?” Public Meeting Set for Aug. 11

The Churchill Borough Council Ad Hoc Deer Committee added a Citizen Sub-Committee to its efforts this year. These volunteers contributed their specialized skills and experience in specific areas of investigation. The Committee has sought the most factual and reliable sources available in addressing three principal nega- tive impacts of white-tailed deer (WTD) in Churchill: Deer-Vehicle Collisions, Threat of Lyme Disease (LD) and Undesired Browsing of Plants.

Churchill Borough residents are invited to attend an in-person public meeting from 6:30-8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 11 at the Blackridge Civic Association. Residents who wish to speak must register in advance by contacting the Churchill Borough Office either by phone, email, or postal carrier, no later than Aug. 7. Speakers will be recognized by order of their registration and will be time-limited to accommodate all registrants.

The Deer Committee will distribute more detailed findings and recommendations to Churchill residents prior to the Aug. 11 public meeting through a link on the Churchill Borough website, Facebook and Savvy Citizen. The Deer Committee’s preliminary findings are as follows:

1. Deer Management - After reviewing a variety of options to safeguard the health and welfare of our com- munity, and in accordance with the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the Allegheny County Health De- partment (ACHD) guidelines, the Deer Committee does not endorse Churchill Borough’s removal of deer by lethal means to address the three negative impacts identified by our citizens.
2. Deer-Vehicle Collisions - Churchill Borough’s public safety and public services staff have seen a con- sistent decline in the number of deer-vehicle collisions in Churchill during the last five years. Obeying speed limits and being vigilant while driving are the best ways to protect you and yours from collisions.
3. Threat of Lyme Disease - WTD are incompetent vectors, meaning that the bacterium which causes LD

   (Borrelia burgdorferi) cannot survive in WTD. Reducing the abundance of WTD would not directly reduce tick abundance, and may increase the proportion of ticks feeding on competent LD vectors such as mice and raccoons. The Committee will provide specific recommendations for safeguarding humans and pets from dis- ease-carrying ticks.

4. Undesired Browsing of Plants - How to manage the overpopulation of WTD is a nationwide dilemma. The ability to objectively determine cause and effect and what constitutes “success” is beyond our capacity, particularly given Churchill Borough’s size and proximity to other densely populated suburban communities.

Suburban deer will not disappear. Managing gardening expectations, adapting to change, planning and select-

ing appropriate plants, and adopting various techniques for reducing damage, are the most effective ways to

respond to the reality of living with deer in our community.

The Deer Committee recommends the development of an ongoing dialog with the Churchill community, to share ideas, solutions, the latest research, and advice to help us all live more successfully with wildlife. We are all in this together.