The Town of DeWitt will be hosting an informational forum regarding deer management techniques and tick safety from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 29 at Jamesville-DeWitt Middle School.
The forum will include informational presentations from the following experts in ticks and deer management: Courtney LaMere, big game biologist for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation; Brian Underwood, adjunct professor of Environmental and Forest Biology; Paul Curtis, extension wildlife specialist, Department of Natural Resources at Cornell University; and Nick Piedmonte, who recently defended a masters thesis from SUNY ESF on the tick population in Onondaga County.
According to the Facebook page for the event, “The panel of area experts will help answer resident’s questions, offer management options and deliver personal experiences.”
Each expert will give a brief presentation and then will do a Q&A from audience submitted questions. After, a comment time will occur where DeWitt residents can voice their opinions on the options presented.
Local high school student volunteers will be on hand to show residents how to avoid ticks as a means to decrease the chances of getting Lyme disease.
The event is free and open to area residents, but to participate in the community comment portion of the event you must reside in DeWitt and will be asked to give your name and address.
Town Councilor Kerin Rigney said the town has been looking into creating a deer management program of their own, and wanted to give residents a chance to learn about all of the different techniques and information the town government must consider.
