Englewood Deer Task Force Final Report 2019

Englewood Deer Task Force

Final Report 2019

An injured deer in Englewood Fall 2019

In response to residents’ concerns about the local deer population, the Englewood Deer Task Force was formed in December 2017. Our first goal was education: educating ourselves, our community and our elected leaders. We held the first regional deer symposium in Bergen County on 12/6/18 with approximately 200 attendees.

On June 5, 2019 Englewood hosted a Mayor's Deer Symposium for elected leaders that included representatives from 22 towns in Bergen County and a representative from the County. There was an expressed interest by the attendees in working together "regionally" and with the County.

To date, all of Englewood's elected officials have attended at least one of the deer symposiums "White Tailed-Deer: Biology, Ecology and Management". The information presented by the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife is available online here .

Our second goal was to collect and review available data such as the number of reported cases of tick-borne illnesses in Englewood, documented motor vehicle accidents (MVA), deer service calls (not all MVAs are reported) and the number of deer carcasses removed. The data demonstrate an increase in all these variables over time in Englewood, and the graphs are presented below.

Cases of Tick-borne Illnesses in Englewood, 2005-2018

Documented Deer Motor Vehicle Crashes 2012-Aug. 19,2019

Number of deer service calls 2016 to estimated 2019

Deer service calls by Wards 2016-2018

Number of deer carcasses removed in Englewood 2016-2019 (as of 10/31/19)

On Tuesday November 26, 2019 we presented an update and review of data to the Mayor and City Council. Our recommendations included:

A Drone Study to census the white-tailed deer population in Englewood. We had consulted with the business administrator of River Vale where they had conducted a drone study and they found the information "invaluable". A drone survey would provide Englewood with an objective way to quantify and begin to track its deer population. Additionally, the data can be used to promote public safety, with increased signage alerting motorists to areas where the deer population is most dense. Acquiring this data may facilitate a collaboration with Bergen County. A drone study would cost approximately $4500 and have to be conducted when the trees were bare for accuracy.
A Resident Survey to be sent to households to assess for tick-borne disease, MVAs and property and landscaping damage caused by deer.

Our goals have been to educate our elected officials and community and to provide the Mayor and Council with information and data to help guide them in their decision making process. The next steps will now be determined by the Mayor and Council.

Any questions or comments about this report, please feel free to contact;

Jim Fedorko, Englewood Health Officer at 201-871-6501, jfedorko@englewoodnjhealth.org

or Lisa Wisotsky, Chair, Englewood Deer Task Force

LJLWisotsky@gmail.com

If you would like to direct comments to the Mayor and Council, their contact information is as follows:

Mayor Michael Wildes: mayorwildes@cityofenglewood.org

Councilman at Large Charles Cobb: ccobb@cityofenglewood.org

Ward 1 Councilwoman Cheryl Rosenberg: cwrosenberg@cityofenglewood.org

Ward 2 Councilman Michael Cohen: mcohen@cityofenglewood.org

Ward 3 Councilwoman Katharine Glynn: kglynn@cityofenglewood.org

Ward 4 Councilman Wayne Hamer: whamer@cityofenglewood.org

Sincerely,

Dr. Lisa Wisotsky