A land-use program piloted in the United States is having a long-term positive impact on populations of white-tailed deer, according to new research by University of Alberta biologists.
The study examined the benefits of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) in North Dakota. Established in 1985, the CRP provides payment to farmers who convert sensitive land from agriculture production to vegetative cover, with the goal of improving water quality, preventing soil erosion and building wildlife habitat.
Using aerial survey data to determine deer population counts over 10 winters, the researchers found the conserved land tended to harbour more deer more often.
“White-tailed deer tend to occur more, and in higher numbers, in areas with higher percentage of CRP,” explained lead author Mariana Nagy-Reis, a post-doctoral researcher studying with U of A conservation biologist Mark Boyce. “Increased tall vegetative cover adds more complexity to the landscape—a characteristic that increases fawn survival.”
Continue reading at University of Alberta.
Image via Mark Boyce.