NFA’s Position On Deer Management

To the Editor:

The Newtown Forest Association (NFA) would like to publicly comment on the current discussion regarding tick-borne illnesses and deer management.

As residents of Newtown, and stewards of over 1,100 acres of Newtown’s open space, we also struggle with the debate of balance between property stewardship, public health, and wildlife preservation.    

We feel it is important to publicly reiterate NFA’s position of no hunting on NFA-owned properties, as most properties were donated as wildlife sanctuaries, some that expressly prohibit hunting — no current exceptions have been provided for.

That being said, if the town undertakes a program to reduce deer populations to environmentally sustainable levels, NFA would consider participating  (on specific properties) as a property stewardship practice and/or Lyme disease prevention effort.

 We realize that this is a passionate issue for all residents. One that does not necessarily have a right or wrong answer. The NFA board certainly appreciates the time and effort that the people of Newtown have devoted to this important issue, and looks forward to the panel’s final report on this subject.

Sincerely,

Bart Smith

on behalf of the

NFA Board of Directors

15 Great Hill Road, Newtown                               December 8, 2009