Title: The development of a resource management strategy: deer, plants, and data at Brown County State Park, Indiana

Authors: Michael A. Reiter, James P. Eagleman

Addresses: Indiana University/Purdue Univ., Columbus, USA. ' Brown County State Park, USA

Abstract: Deer browsing threatened to affect the future development of Brown County State Park|s forest canopy and understory. In response, the park initiated limited hunts to thin the deer population, which resulted in some public protest. Data from the hunts are encouraging, and protests have diminished. In order to economise personnel time in collection, a new strategy was developed that emphasises the condition of plant communities rather than species diversity. Though present data supports the strategy and education efforts have been enhanced, it may be impossible to avoid public and/or political conflict over this issue.

Keywords: deer browsing; public conflict; political conflict; USA; United States; resource management strategy; plant communities; plants; environmental impact; deer culling.

DOI: 10.1504/IER.1999.053839

Interdisciplinary Environmental Review, 1999 Vol.1 No.1, pp.129 - 140

Published online: 13 May 2013 *

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