From: Friends of Animals, Philadelphia Advocates for the Deer, and Native Return, LLC.

To: Township ana!er Ro"ert #ien$ows$i and the Commissioners of Radnor Township%
&er!eant Chris Flana!an% &uperintendent of Police 'illiam Colarulo% and the pu"lic
Date: () a* (+,(
Re: 'hite-tailed Deer in Radnor Township, Delaware Count*, Penns*lvania
I. Introduction
Radnor Township recentl* held a pu"lic meetin! to discuss the effects of its resident deer on its
resident humans.
,
.n this pu"lic meetin!, convened "* the Township at the Radnor emorial
/'a*ne0 Li"rar* on (1 Fe"ruar* (+,(, police superintendent 'illiam Colarulo polled the
audience, and all a!reed that some action needed to "e ta$en to reduce perceived conflicts with
deer. 2et not all a!reed that the action needed to involve hostile treatment of deer. &u"se3uentl*,
on ,4 arch (+,(, a meetin! was hosted "* &!t. Chris Flana!an, and attended "* &uperintendent
'illiam Colarulo and Code 5nforcement 6fficer 'illiam 7alla!her, on "ehalf of the Township,
wherein Friends of Animals, Philadelphia Advocates for the Deer, and Native Return offered an
hour-lon! prepared presentation. The three !roups now outline the deer-related issues raised in
Radnor Township and descri"e our recommendations to the Township in order to ensure dialo!ue
and information is availa"le to Radnor Township administrators and the !eneral pu"lic.

II. Deer-Related Issues Raised in Radnor Township
A. Cars Hitting Deer. This Problem Should Be Addressed ith Common-Sense!
Conscientious "ethods
The Township has noted the dan!er related to deer on or near roadwa*s, and the vital importance
of maintainin! safe roads. 'e a!ree: action is needed to hei!hten road safet*. &hootin!8short of
shootin! ever* deer in the area8will not ensure road safet*. The primar* factors are human:
1
Radnor Township has a human population of a"out ),,+++. The precise num"er of deer in the Township
is un$nown. 6ne recent 9deer densit*: surve* in the Township involved a (;.1-mile ni!httime drive, three
times in Fe"ruar* (+,(, with e<trapolation leadin! to an estimate of "etween ,,(1= deer and ,,41> deer.
1
speedin!, development, road e<pansions. &hootin! can e<acer"ate the road ha?ard as disoriented
deer loo$ for safet* "* chan!in! their routes and movements, and "ecome una"le to ne!otiate
unfamiliar fences and roads.
@eneficial and effective responses to the serious matter of car accidents include increasin! driver
awareness of the dan!ers of speedin! in our su"ur"s. Pu"lic-service announcements throu!h
pu"lic, commercial, and school-"ased print and radio media comprise a "asic method and can "e
implemented 3uic$l*.
'e further su!!est and encoura!e:

A Controllin! roadside ve!etation to minimi?e its attraction to deer and ma<imi?e visi"ilit* for
drivers. Christina Bo"land of the award-winnin! landscapin! corporation Native ReturnC, LLC
has offered to consult on the plannin! and assist in implementation. Native ReturnCDs offers a
low-maintenance /one mow per *ear0 turf !rass, Fli!htTurfE, developed for airfields as a
wildlife deterrent. Radnor Township can use this product alon!side roadwa*s and in other
applications where itDs important to discoura!e deer. For information, see
http:FFwww.fli!htturf.com

A &peed "umps, creative si!ns, a!!ressive speed monitorin!. The Township installed deer
crossin! si!ns in hi!h-ris$ areas. A si!n, especiall* a nondescript deer-crossin! si!n, thou!h
"etter than nothin!, does little to calm toda*Ds distracted drivers, especiall* when the traffic
flows at hi!h speeds. Gust one e<ample of where si!nificant speedin! occurs is the turn-off from
Route 4>H at 5<it ,) into Route )+ /&aint Davids F Iillanova0. &peedin! is fre3uent there, as is
the presence of deer. &uch places need to "e addressed for the ha?ards the* present. 'e
recommend that Radnor Township "e creative with si!ns and speed hindrances /emplo*in!, e.!.,
speed "umps, radar speed displa* si!ns0 and "e a!!ressive with speeders. Fast drivers are safet*
ha?ards for human pedestrians as well as domesticated and undomesticated animals and the
correct tar!ets are the speeders, not those the* slam into.
A Reflectors. Road tests in various states prove that the &trieter-Lite s*stem cuts down on
ni!httime collisions with animals in hi!h-ris$ areas "* an avera!e of 1+J. As the compan*
o"serves: 9This is a hu!e reduction in loss of life, vehicle dama!e and insurance costs.:
(

A Another promisin! technolo!*, the Roadside Animal Detection &*stem /RAD&0, uses radio
detection of lar!e animals. A sensor activates a si!nal warnin! drivers to slow down.
)
2
9The &trieter-Lite 'or$sK: /visited ,) a* (+,(% catalo!uin! sites at which the s*stem has "een
implemented0. Availa"le: http:FFwww.strieter-lite.comFpdfFsites.pdf
3
Gohn R. Platt, 9Florida to Tr* a RADical New .dea to Protect 5ndan!ered Panthers: L 5<tinction
Countdown "lo!, Scientific American /dated ,= Apr. (+,+% visited ,) a* (+,(0. Availa"le:
2
A Addressin! fra!mentation of ha"itat in Radnor Township pro-activel*. The Township has raised
concerns that deer have an impact across the landscape. Construction has far more of an impact
*et the Township meetin! in Fe"ruar* did not address the interests in e<pandin! universit*
propert* and other development in Radnor Township.
A The Township should consider wor$in! with &epta to ameliorate road con!estion and its
conse3uence: still more traffic, frustration, and a!!ressive drivin!. The R; has truncated &unda*
service and the schedule is su"-optimal in the "usiness wee$. For people other than seniors,
tic$ets are not attractivel* priced. eanwhile, Route (+( /alon! the same corridor0 is "ein!
e<panded in an area of $nown deer ha"itat. The a"ove d*namic puts drivers and deer at ris$.
'hereas the R; line is neither served nor promoted optimall* "* ain Line communities, the
Township of Radnor could step up to offer valua"le "enefits "* e<ertin! leadership in this area.
A Native ReturnCDs 'ildlife PAL /short for Protection Alliance0 would ena"le landowners who
appreciate indi!enous animals to serve Radnor Township with private !reen corridors. This wa*,
instead of providin! residents with opportunities for huntin! in a densel* populated area, the first
line of thin$in! would help deer to avoid roadwa*s. Christina Bo"land of Native ReturnC has
offered to consult on the plannin! and assist in implementation of 'ildlife PAL in Radnor
Township, to offer the deer escape routes. Deer are "rowsers and the* li$e to ni""le as the* !o.
The* onl* decimate plant populations when the* are confined% thus, escape routes and
connectors are vital. Christina Bo"landDs wor$ with wildlife corridors solves stormwater runoff
issues concurrentl*8a win-win solution for all concerned.
B. #ardeners$ Anger at Deer Re%uires Care&ul! Practical! '&&ecti(e Responses
Residents have "rou!ht concerns to Township administrators involvin! dama!e to ornamental
landscape plants. Msin! plants less desira"le to deer ma* limit choices for residents, "ut will
lessen the need for replantin! and will reduce monetar* losses. Radnor Township should o"tain
and distri"ute information on landscapin!, safe fencin!, and informed !ardenin! techni3ues.
an* options are on the mar$et that could prevent a polic* of treatin! our native deer population
as an enem*. Deer-resistant florae are numerous% and the* include "eautiful native plants. /Please
see the Addendum: @owmanDs Nill 'ildflower Preserve, 9Deer Tolerant F Resistant Native
Plants.:0
http:FF"lo!s.scientificamerican.comFe<tinction-countdownF(+,+F+4F,=Fflorida-to-tr*-a-radical-new-idea-
to-protect-endan!ered-panthersF

3
&tron!, pol*prop*lene mesh shields protect *oun! plant !rowth and can "e "eneficial in
deterrin! deer "rowsin! until plants are no lon!er vulnera"le without need for repellents. Fencin!
deer out, if done incorrectl*, can result in the impalement or trappin! of deer.
4
/Radnor land
owners and town planners need to learn a"out safe fencin!% dan!erousl* spaced or spi$ed fences
are all too common alon! ain Line properties.0 Tall ever!reens, holl* trees or shru"s can create
natural propert* "oundaries. @ennerDs 7ardens offers innovations that have "een used at Naw$
ountain &anctuar*, a Natural Lands Trust site in the Allentown area. @ennerDs 7ardens offered
to donate fencin! for a test propert*% Radnor Township could re3uest similar assistance for
appropriate areas.
&olar-powered deer deterrence s*stems wor$ with ultrasonic waves that are audi"le to the deer,
"ut not to people. Another deterrent involves short "ursts of water. 'e do not advocate these as a
first strate!* "ut certainl* the* are prefera"le to arrows and !unshots.
.n an era of increasin! 9!reen: awareness, ecolo!ists and "iolo!ists are now see$in! to cultivate
a deeper understandin! of individual deerDs roles, their relationships with other animals, and how
nature "alances them all. Learnin! a"out deer would increase pu"lic acceptance, thou!h some
will never "e persuaded to enOo* deer /or s3uirrels, etc.0. Mntil these residents can effectivel*
protect their !ardens, it doesnPt matter how man* deer are in Radnor Township: the presence of
an* deer at all leads to complaints. Residents with the proper tools and technolo!ies can !et a
de!ree of relief more 3uic$l* and relia"l* than the hapha?ard results of $illin! would "rin!.
C. Concerns o& )*me Disease ill +ot Be Addressed b* Deer-,illing
The American L*me Disease Foundation does not recommend $illin! deer for L*me disease% the
National Par$ &ervice at Ialle* For!e has never and is not currentl* recommendin! $illin! deer
4
&ee ar* Ann @aron and @rid!et .rons, 9News: Mne<pected Dan!ers: Fences and Deer: L Friends of
AnimalsD ActionLine /&prin! (+,(0. Availa"le: http:FFwww.friendsofanimals.or!FactionlineFsprin!-
(+,(Fdan!ers.php.

4
/or an* animals0 to address L*me disease. As a practical matter, mice and chipmun$s are more
responsi"le than deer for $eepin! L*me 9percolatin!: in an endemic area.
;

Township residents should ta$e preventive measures to prevent tic$ "ites, avoidin! "rush* and
!rass* areas if possi"le, and in an* case conductin! re!ular chec$s for tic$s. 6utdoor volunteers
at Ialle* For!e, who cannot avoid !rass* areas, are advised to wear lon! sleeves and trousers, to
remove and wash their clothin! immediatel* after returnin! home from a wor$ period, and to
chec$ their "odies carefull* for tic$s8"ecause a person "itten "* an infected tic$ who does not
remove the tic$ within )H hours ma* contract L*me disease. The ris$ of infection from a $nown
tic$ "ite accordin! to studies cited "* the Par$Ds Actin! &uperintendent @ar"ara Pollardine and
Natural Resources Director Bristina Neister was , to ( percent /usuall* at the n*mph sta!e% thus,
caution should "e ta$en to avoid contact with shaded leaf litter, the ha"itat of tic$ n*mphs0.
&imilar information is pu"lished "* the American Academ* of Pediatrics: 9ost deer tic$s
/>+JQ1+J0, even in hi!hl* endemic areas for L*me disease, are not infected with B
burgdorferi,
H
and the ris$ of infection after a reco!ni?ed deer tic$ "ite in an endemic area is
estimated to "e onl* a"out ,.4J.
>
.f infection does occur, earl* and appropriate treatment normall* results in a prompt cure.
Radnor Township should ensure it is receivin! correct information on how L*me infection
occurs, and "e pro-active in dispensin! the information that will actuall* empower residents to
avert cases of L*me disease.
D. Shooting Deer Is -nsa&e! "orall* Repugnant to "an*! Biologicall* -nsound! and
-nnecessar*
5
Dr. Phillip @a$er of the National .nstitutes of Nealth e<plains this in the Connecticut Dept. of Pu"lic
NealthDs 9Pu"lic Nearin! .n Re L*me Disease: /dated (= Gan. (++40, at ((;-(H. Availa"le:
http:FFwww.ct.!ovFa!Fli"Fa!FhealthF+,(=l*me.pdf /visited ,) a* (+,(0.
6
Committee on .nfectious Diseases, 9Prevention of L*me Disease: /dated (+++% visited ,) a* (+,( at:
pediatrics.aappu"lications.or!FcontentF,+;F,F,4(.full0, citin! 5.D. &hapiro et al.: 9A Controlled Trial of
Antimicro"ial Proph*la<is for L*me Disease After Deer-Tic$s @ites: L New England J. Med. )(>:,>H=Q
,>>).
7
Ibid., citin! A. 7er"er, et al. and the Pediatric L*me Disease &tud* 7roup: 9L*me Disease in
Children in &outheastern Connecticut: L New England J. Med. ));:,(>+Q,(>4.
5
'e reOect the idea of promotin! private sport-huntin! "* openin! up more land to the activit*.
'e oppose this treatment of the deer on ethical and "iolo!ical !rounds, and "ecause it puts
people at ris$. Finall*, it is unnecessar*. There are sound wa*s to respond to the ne!ative feelin!s
that define communit*Ds 9social carr*in! capacit*: for deer8a definition often "ased on fears or
simpl* the desire to override nature for the sa$e of convenience.
'e further reOect the su!!estion that Radnor Township fund sharpshootin!. .t will almost
certainl* "ecome a vicious and costl* c*cle once started, as is the case, for e<ample, in
PhiladelphiaDs Fairmount Par$, where deer $illin! has "een !oin! on ever* *ear for ,)
consecutive *ears. 'here a deer population is well supported "* the availa"le sustenance, deer
ma* !ive "irth at appro<imatel* H months of a!e and some adults ma* produce triplets. Plainl*:
deer will multipl* to fill the area that supports them.

6penin! up par$s /e.!. the &$un$ Nollow Par$, the Chew Tract, or the 2oun! Tract0 for hunters
would mean e<cludin! resident do!-wal$ers from the par$s for the purpose. Pressin! to allow
access to hunters on par$s or on private propert* invites dan!er% and so would implementin! an
official shootin! plan. Amherst, New 2or$Ds "ait-and-shoot scheme was suspended and nonlethal
methods adopted after a participatin! police officer shot throu!h an upstairs window while a
parent and child were at home.
1
The officer was several hundred *ards awa* in the woods,
aimin! down at a deer from a platform when the round struc$ an o"Oect and was diverted.
Council em"er Daniel G. 'ard called "ait-and-shoot 9an accident waitin! to happen,: "ecause
Amherst is not a rural communit*. Radnor isnDt rural% nor is it !ettin! less dense. The Township
comprises populated residential housin! for !reater than )+,+++ residents% man* "usinesses%
multiple academic campuses and school !rounds% pu"lic par$s and recreation areas% and two !olf
clu"s. Numan safet* is not advanced "* encoura!in! shootin! in the Township, whether on
pu"lic or private properties. Arrows can travel ,++ *ards%
=
and "ullets can travel miles.
8
96fficerDs 5rrant &hot at Deer Mpsets Residents: L Buffalo News /1 Fe". (++;0, at @).
9
New Jersey Star-Ledger 5ditorial @oard, 9@ill 'ould Allow @owhuntin! Too Close to Nomes for
Comfort.: Availa"le:
http:FF"lo!.nO.comFnOvReditorialRpa!eF(+,+F+>F"illRwouldRallowR"owhuntin!Rto.html /dated ,4 Gul*
(+,(% visited ,1 a* (+,(0.
6
The editorial "oard of the New Jersey Star-Ledger, in a (+,+ commentar*, pointed out the ris$
and the foll* of invitin! it:
Een if !illiam "ell and #obin $ood are t%e %unters, it&s a needless gamble wit% 'ublic
safety. A good bow%unter can (ill from )* yards, so an errant s%ot could go 'ast t%e
buffer.
+"%e idea t%at somebody could be ,)* feet from a %ouse, s%ooting an arrow into a deer,
is 'retty disturbing to 'eo'le in my district,- state Sen. #ic%ard .odey /0-Esse12 said.
Een more disturbing3 "%e %unter could miss.
Assemblyman 4ary .%iusano /#-Susse12, t%e s'onsor of t%e bill, says t%e state needs to
(ee' deer +in c%ec(.- "%e buffer must be s%run( drastically because deer are smart
enoug% to flee from %unters and moe close to %omes and buildings w%ere t%e law now
'rotects t%em.
Ma(es you wonder w%ic% are smarter, deer or legislators.
,*
And from a "iolo!ical perspective, heav*-handed and resentment-driven mass $illin! of
indi!enous her"ivores, if it is scientific at all, reflects the $ind of science that deepens
environmental im"alances. Radnor should instead loo$ to e<amples of cities and su"ur"s, such as
Chica!o, and 6ran!e and Los An!eles Counties, that strive to wor$ with nature rather than
a!ainst it. Those cities and su"ur"s have 3uestioned their own suppression of predator animals,
and ena"led a natural "alance. That is the true inte!rated approach to deer dama!e mana!ement
and Radnor can and should consider a similarl* enli!htened approach. Currentl*, the policies of
the Penns*lvania 7ame Commission ena"le *ear-round huntin! and trappin! of predators.
6fficials have it "oth wa*s: $ill deer% $ill predators. 'e 3uestion the ecolo!ical casuistr* that
allows this contradictor* polic*, and we ur!e Radnor Township to do so as well. Pro!ressive
10
Ibid.
7
Ourisdictions $now how to co-e<ist with predators and there"* avert 9deer pro"lems:8includin!
in densel* populated su"ur"s li$e Pasadena.
,,

III. .ur Recommendations
'e endorse and will wor$ with the Township to support non-lethal dama!e mana!ement.
'e disa!ree with the claims that the a"undance of deer re3uires an* plan in which a!ents will
stal$ and "ait deer, $ill them, desta"ili?e and disorient their social !roups% and, when the*
re"ound, tar!et the deer a!ain and a!ain in a c*cle of violence. The financial cost of such a plan
is hi!h, and the cost in terms of teachin! our communities the crude concept that we $ill our wa*
out of perceived pro"lems is immeasura"le. That other Ourisdictions have Oumped to $ill their
wa* out of pro"lems doesnDt mean Radnor Township must follow suit. This practice pits people
a!ainst each other and should "e reOected, re!ardless of pious /and e<pensive0 claims that the
deer flesh will !o to charit*.
'e a!ree with the recommendation posited "* a Commissioner in the Fe"ruar* meetin! at the
Li"rar* that Radnor Township institute a Preventative easures Committee to address such
issues as health concerns and the rampant speedin! which was noted in that same meetin! as a
pro"lem that prompts a hi!h num"er of complaints from residents to the Commissioners.
'e propose that Radnor Township hire a Communit* Deer Ran!er or Communit* Liaison whose
Oo" entails direct assistance to residents. This representative would collect and disseminate
techni3ues for protectin! !ardens% consult with propert* owners% assist with implementin! deer
repellin! protocols% and arran!e for !roup "u*in! discounts on communit*-appropriate fencin!
and repellents. 6ur !roups would "e willin! to wor$ with the representative on the topic of
communit* education re!ardin! a natural "alance "etween animals in ha"itat, and co-e<istence
with animals indi!enous to Penns*lvania. Christina Bo"land of Native ReturnC, LLC would "e
willin!, a"le and !lad to "e considered as a candidate for a Communit* Liaison post8a position
which could pa* for itself in !ood will and hei!htened safet*, and "* avertin! costl* annual
lethal protocols and deerflesh processin!.
11
For this point the authors than$ ichael R. Narris, director of the 5nvironmental Law Clinic at
the Mniversit* of Denver, &turm Colle!e of Law /contact: mharrisSlaw.du.edu0.
8
Please also see the pa!es a"ove, particularl* from pa!e ( throu!h pa!e >, for specific
recommendations and su!!estions for implementation.
I/. Conclusion
@* the turn of the (+th centur* in Penns*lvania, the indi!enous white-tailed deer were driven to
near-e<tinction "* huntin! and ha"itat loss% so deer restoc$in! went on for two decades and now
we hear there are 9too man*.: .n the histor* of the CommonwealthDs deer mana!ement lies a
stri$in! lesson on the une<pected conse3uences of the radical suppression of nature. This is one
maOor reason for ta$in! a conservative approach rather than harsh measures which create a
vacuum. 'e also note that deer are individuals% and animal cruelt* does not cease to "e at issue
where it receives official encoura!ement.
7iven that the Penns*lvania 7ame Commission, which would "e called to facilitate /throu!h
permits0 an* lethal deer-mana!ement protocol, receives revenue as it licenses deer hunters, the
prevailin! idea that there are 9too man* deer: is unsurprisin!. The view that a low densit* must
"e maintained ur!es committees at ever* level8federal, state, local8to accept and proOect the
idea of deer as masses of ravenous and ha?ardous "ein!s. People are tau!ht to resent deer and
accept the idea that communities should call and maintain armed forces to dispose of them.
Nuntin! is a "usiness, so there is a monetar* incentive to o"Oectif* deer, Oustif* !uns, "ows, and
arrows, suppress predator animals, and claim that shootin! is essential, so that the huntin!
minorit* is encoura!ed.
Traditionall*, onl* a"out 1 percent of Penns*lvanians "u* a huntin! license in a !iven *ear.
9&eems li$e weDre doin! a rather effective Oo" recruitin! hunters in this state,: said Penns*lvania
7ame CommissionDs human dimensions specialist Coren Ga!now in the 5ittsburg% "ribune
#eiew earlier this *ear. 9a*"e the focus needs to "e retainin! them or turnin! them into
consistent license "u*ers.:
,(
12
@o" Fr*e, 9&urve* &a*s: ore Nunters in Penns*lvania: L 5ittsburg% "ribune #eiew /) Apr. (+,(0.
9
This focus has impacted administrative thin$in!, even dominated it. @ut it is not environmentall*
enli!htened thin$in!. Respect for other animalsD autonom* fits with the answer that most closel*
mirrors the wa*s of the natural ecolo!*, and other animalsD capacit* to adapt to it.
'e encoura!e Radnor Township to reOect deadl* mana!ement schemes, for $illin! deer is a sad
le!ac* for a communit* to impose and endure, especiall* when there are safe options availa"le.
.n contrast, humane alternatives "rin! opportunities for federal and private assistance% prevent
violence and the associated ris$s of inOuries and lawsuits% and affirm and sustain a communit*Ds
"est impulses.
Respectfull* su"mitted,
Lee Nall, Iice President for Le!al Affairs, Friends of Animals: TLee Nall, GD, LL, wor$ed with
Friends of Animals until &ept. (+,). NallDs current e-mail address is climatelawSme.comU
ar* Ann @aron, Co-founder, Philadelphia Advocates for the Deer: mar*ann"aron)S!mail.com
Christina Bo"land, President, Native ReturnC, LLC: christinaSnativereturn.com
ar*anne Appel, Friends of Animals mem"er, Delaware Count*, Penns*lvania:
<outhumanem*thsS!mail.com
10