Forest
Stewardship News Release
August
28 , 2008- For Immediate Release
Contact: Allyson
Muth, Phone: 814-865-3208, E-mail:
White-Tailed Deer Lesson Plans and Activities Now Available
Contact: David R.
Jackson, Forestry Extension Educator, 814-355-4897, drj11@psu.edu
A series of five lesson plans teaching youth about white-tailed deer and
their impacts on the forest ecosystem are now available on-line through
Penn State Cooperative Extension. Dave Jackson, Forestry Extension Educator
with Penn State Cooperative Extension, Centre County, prepared the lesson
plans. Dave feels it is imperative that our youth and educators have a
better understanding of the issues surrounding our state mammals' abundance.
He notes, "By studying deer and their interactions with their habitat,
students and teachers will gain a better appreciation for the animal as
well as the importance of population control."
The lessons can be found on Penn State's Sustainable Forestry Teacher Resource Center located on the web at: http://sftrc.cas.psu.edu. Once at this site simply click on Deer Lesson Plans along the left hand column. Here you will find a series of five plans designed for youth grades 6-12; each one complete with descriptions, objectives, reference materials, and state standards addressed. The inquiry-based, hands-on lessons allow students to explore white-tailed deer biology and forest ecology. Jackson indicates, "The lessons focus on the impacts of deer on the forest ecosystem. Each lesson builds upon the previous, beginning with an overview of deer biology and adaptations and culminating in a final assignment assessing habitat and population."
Through these lessons, students and educators will gain a better understanding of white-tailed deer biology, adaptations, habitat requirements, management, and impacts on forest sustainability. Students will recognize that deer abundance affects many people besides just hunters. Deer abundance levels impact farmers, foresters, motorists, gardeners, and homeowners. This may be through car-deer collisions, disease transmission, loss of desirable landscaping, crop damage, or over-browsed woodlands.
These lessons will also increase student awareness concerning how deer impact the forest ecosystem of Pennsylvania. For example, when deer are over-abundant, mature forests have no, or very few, desirable tree seedlings to replace trees that are harvested or die of natural causes. Many native shrubs and wildflower species are also preferred deer foods. These plants are greatly reduced or completely eliminated when deer are over-abundant. With the loss of the understory plant and shrub layer comes a loss in abundance of many other wildlife species.
If you have a group of students or teachers who would like to be provided an introduction to this curriculum material you may contact Dave Jackson at drj11@psu.edu. Programs on "White-tailed Deer and Forest Ecology" are also offered to groups of all ages and sizes at Laurel Haven Conservation Education Center. The Center is a 50-acre outdoor classroom managed by the Penn State School of Forest Resources, located in Julian, Centre County, Pennsylvania. Program and facilities information is available by visiting the Laurel Haven web site: http://www.sfr.cas.psu.edu/LaurelHaven/.
The Pennsylvania Forest Stewardship Program provides publications on a variety of topics related to woodland management for private landowners. For a list of free publications, call 1-800-235-WISE (toll-free), send e-mail to , or write to: Forest Stewardship Program, Forest Resources Extension, The Pennsylvania State University, 320 Forest Resources Building, University Park, PA 16802. The Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry and USDA Forest Service, in partnership with the Penn State's Forest Resources Extension, sponsor the Forest Stewardship Program in Pennsylvania.
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