DEER AS PUBLIC GOODS AND PUBLIC NUISANCE

ISSUES AND POLICY OPTIONS IN MARYLAND

On October 27, 1997, the Center for Agricultural and Natural Resource Policy sponsored a conference, open to the public, to address a growing wildlife problem in Maryland and much of the country: too many white-tailed deer. Of course, whether or not there are indeed "too many" deer is just one subject fueling the sometimes contentious debate surrounding this adaptable creature.

The purpose of the Center's conference was to bring together what is known about both the damage and benefits attributable to deer in Maryland, to assess the consequences of current trends in the deer population for agricultural damage, public health and safety, and the ecosystem, and to evaluate the pros and cons of policy alternatives available, drawing on the experience of communities already implementing deer management policies.

Here we make available the proceedings of the conference, in the hope they'll be of assistance to those engaged in the management of this living natural resource. We welcome your comments. Please direct them to Lkoch@arec.umd.edu. If you would like to order a copy of the entire proceedings, please inquire at the same e-mail address.

Thomas A. Fretz, Foreword

Bruce L. Gardner, Introduction

Joshua L. Sandt, A Brief History of Deer in Maryland and the Northeast

Larry Marchinton, White-Tailed Deer Biology and Population Dynamics

Kevin McNew and John Curtis, Maryland Farmers Lose Bucks on Deer-Damaged Crops

Paul Curtis, Impacts and Economic Costs of Deer in Suburban Landscapes

David deCalesta, Deer, Ecosystem Damage, and Sustaining Forest Resources

Lori Lynch, Maryland Deer Valued for Social, Recreational and Commercial Reasons

Lori Lynch and John Curtis, Effect of Individual Characteristics on Deer Population Preferences

Jonathan S. Kays, Integrating Deer Damage Management by Individuals

Robert J. Warren, Deer Population Management Through Hunting and Alternative Means of Control

Doug Tregoning, Lessons Learned from Public Deer Management Efforts in Montgomery County, Maryland

Daniel J. Decker and Lisa C. Chase, Human Dimensions Approaches to Citizen Input: Keys for Successful Policy