Feral deer are becoming an increasing problem and have the potential to cause significant impact to public and private land. This project will build on the successful coordinator model already developed through CISS, to implement a position of National Deer Management Coordinator who will support community-led deer control in all states and territories across Australia. In all locations, targeted facilitation will be used to dramatically increase both participation and motivation of neighboring farmers to reduce feral deer impacts.
Farmers will be engaged individually and in groups at tailored events by the National Deer Management Coordinator, in partnership with staff from state government departments, regional land management agencies and farming groups/bureaus. Engagement activities will include a focus on planning feral deer control programs in partnership with farmers, industry and government.
This project ultimately aims to improve participation rates of farmers and land managers in landscape-scale control programs to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of these programs. This position will link with, and complement, the roles of the national feral pig coordinator and the national wild dog coordinator already established.
Completed
The project receives funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
February 2021 update:
The Coordinator has built working relationships with several deer management programs in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia, and is linking groups with similar challenges. Through working with these groups, the Coordinator is developing forums, workshops, planning templates and engagement material to meet their common needs.
Deer control groups in Jindabyne, Tweed Shire and around Melbourne have reported that the increased communication between groups is driving a sense of enthusiasm and motivation to effectively manage deer together.
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