[MAIPC] Deer management and Lyme disease prevention follow-up

Wed Aug 23 08:42:45 PDT 2017

I take some very basic precautions: 1. I avoid areas with high grass whenever possible. 2. I walk with bare legs so the ticks have little to hide in such as pants. I wear hiking kilts and skirts which reduce the number of places ticks can grab onto and hide. Mountain Hardwear for hiking kilts and Purple Rain Adventure Skirts for hiking skirts and kilts. (Chafing I handle by applying Palmer's Tummy Butter between my legs.) 3. After a walk, socks and other clothing are removed and put in the laundry pile in our basement, away from places ticks can spread through the house and living spaces. 4. In the shower I use a plastic mesh scrubby on my legs to remove debris, ticks and similar issues. 5. I spray down my legs with rubbing alcohol to clean scratches and remove ticks. A plant sprayer works great or take the actuator from a plant sprayer and put it on a 1 quart  bottle of isopropanol. To keep the cost down, I buy 1 gallon jugs of livestock grade isopropanol.
 We walk year round and have for many years. So far neither my wife or I have had problems.
                                       Richard Gardner

On ‎Wednesday‎, ‎August‎ ‎23‎, ‎2017‎ ‎10‎:‎31‎:‎17‎ ‎AM‎ ‎EDT, Imlay, Marc <Marc.Imlay at pgparks.com> wrote:

Take a look at:

www.sierraclub.org/sites/www.sierraclub.org/files/sce/maryland-chapter/Campaigns/Deer%20Tick%20Brochure.pdf

Marc

From: Suzanne HILL [mailto:hill.susie.m at gmail.com]
Sent: Friday, August 18, 2017 8:19 PM
To: Marc Imlay <ialm at erols.com>
Subject: Re: Deer management and Lyme disease prevention follow-up

Thank you so much for this second follow-up. I have forwarded the information to all the master gardeners in my county.

Suzanne Hill

Frederick MD

From: Kathy Daniel [mailto:kdaniel20816 at gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, August 20, 2017 12:04 AM
To: Marc Imlay <ialm at erols.com>
Subject: Re: Deer management and Lyme disease prevention follow-up

Thank you, Marc! I am SO glad to be on your tick disease prevention list. I am sending what you send to me to 400 more people on my lists. We all need to spread the word. 

On Fri, Aug 18, 2017 at 8:08 PM, Marc Imlay <ialm at erols.com> wrote:

 It is critical that we address the health issue of 300,000 cases of Lyme Disease from deer ticks each year. One major practical contribution is to remove two species of non-native invasive plants,Japanese Barberry and Asiatic Bush Honeysuckle that increase the risk of tickborn diseases by 5-9 fold and 10 fold. Japanese barberry is under review by a Maryland legislative established committee, IPAC, to be illegal to sell in Maryland. We can expect the review to soon be ready.

After many conversations I am finding that deer ticks with Lyme disease risk has become the primary reason why folks do not go out in natural areas, even more than being stuck in cyberspace. Or appreciate native ecosystems enough to want to remove control species. Folks have shared many effective methods for the Sierra Club to restore enjoying natural areas by removing deer ticks with Lyme disease risk. These include deer control, reintroduction of opossums for tick control, removing Japanese Barberry and Asiatic Bush Honeysuckle that increase the risk of tickborn diseases by 5-9 fold and 10 fold, mice with ticks control, only hike in late Summer until early April in uncontrolled areas, and support parks and agencies that sufficiently control deer and ticks following surveys of deer or tick density.  

Reminder that controlling deer also reduces deer-car collisions, reduces invasive species, and provides habitat for natural ecosystems of plants and animals including endangered species. The Southern Maryland group of the Sierra Club requests Calvert, St Mary’s, and Charles counties remove the patches of Japanese Barberry and Asiatic Bush Honeysuckle that increase the risk of tick-born diseases by 5-9 fold and 10 fold.

Relative safe areas have a natural deer density of 20/square mile or less. What makes this number significant is that this is the level that deer existed at before the removal of predators such as wolves and cougars. Many studies have shown that when deer are held at this level there is a dramatic reduction in the cases of Lyme disease.

Ifwe wish to lead hikes in areas other than those listed above that do not have control of deer ticks, it is recommend that we have most hikes from mid-July through mid-April when the seasonal risk of Lyme disease is less. We would also greatly appreciate it if you could work with us and your local parks as we continue to spread awareness on the severe issue of Lyme’s disease and its connection to overpopulation of deer.Even though in these areas the deer densities are low, it is always good to be prepared if you get a tick on you.

 Marc Imlay

MD Chapter Sierra Club Natural Places Chair. Board member of Southern Maryland Group of the Sierra Club

 Marc Imlay, PhD, Chair, MAIPC Biological Control Working Group

Conservation Biologist, Park Ranger Office, Non-native Invasive Plant Control Coordinator.

Cell: (301) 442-5657, ialm at erols.com

Natural and Historical Resources Division

The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission

www.pgparks.com

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