[MAIPC] [MD-SMD-EXCOM] Agenda item for next Southern MD Excom (extended) meeting

Wed Jun 21 19:37:29 PDT 2017

I would like to share this information because one of our threats to invasive species control is folks not appreciating and protecting nature because of fear of ticks and Lyme disease, even more than being in cyberspace most of the time. Marc

From: Southern Maryland Executive Committee [mailto:MD-SMD-EXCOM at LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG] On Behalf Of Marc Imlay
Sent: Wednesday, June 21, 2017 10:16 PM
To: MD-SMD-EXCOM at LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG <mailto:MD-SMD-EXCOM at LISTS.SIERRACLUB.ORG> 
Subject: [MD-SMD-EXCOM] Agenda item for next Southern MD Excom (extended) meeting

Agenda item for next Sierra Club Southern MD ExCom meeting. enjoying natural areas by removing deer ticks with Lyme disease risk

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. 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, Opossum 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, 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.  For a method to take action on at the next meeting, the Sierra Club can request 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.

Marc Imlay

MD Chapter Natural Places Chair. 

  _____  

From: Stewardship Field Intern [mailto:stewardship.field at mdsierra.org] 
Sent: Thursday, June 01, 2017 1:18 PM
To: Marc Imlay <marc.imlay at mdsierra.org <mailto:marc.imlay at mdsierra.org> >
Subject: Deer and mouse control

Marc,

This it the link for the product that puts tick repellent on mice to control the tick population

http://www.pestproducts.com/maxforce-tick-management.htm

and here is the product that puts repellent on deer:

http://www.deerfriendly.com/lyme-disease/4-poster-system-for-tick-control

Alex Reardon

From: Marc Imlay [mailto:ialm at erols.com] 
Sent: Monday, June 19, 2017 9:23 PM
To: 'Laurel Imlay' <laurel.imlay at sierraclub.org <mailto:laurel.imlay at sierraclub.org> >
Subject: Post your upcoming Outings for statewide June E-news by Wednesday June 21

We have currently reached the point of the year where deer tick season is the worst.

Dear deer control partners, If Howard County can do it so can we.

We have currently reached the point of the year where deer tick season is the worst. This period of time usually extends until mid-July and can put quite the damper on outdoor activities. To avoid the risk of contracting Lyme disease we recommend that you lead hikes in areas with good deer control. These areas currently include four parks in Howard County. 

?          <https://www.howardcountymd.gov/MPEA> The 1,000 acre MPEA park, Meadowbrook Park, Schooley Mill Park, West Regional Park in Howard County 

?          <https://www.nps.gov/rocr/index.htm> Rock Creek National Park in Washington D.C. adjacent to Montgomery County

?          <https://www.nps.gov/cato/index.htm> Catoctin Mountain National Park in Frederick County 

Save native plants from non-native invasives facilitated by deer. Magruder Park has very low tick density. 

Invasive Plant Removal at Magruder Park in Hyattsville 

 <http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=6424b8931f74a6e2ce2eadda40a95c0d0971452cbb9c937ff1c30462ae464cf1e4cef034c15c94d10c23a0308043e4f22d3012609d6b279e> 

Read our  <http://click.emails.sierraclub.org/?qs=6424b8931f74a6e26023493d79a6c982b97ef4708e3783ff2089c0b25c34cebfb6ef9e8df24fd6bb28b7b37c086d6438da7b6f436262248e> tick and lyme disease page to plan safe outdoor trips.

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All of these 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.

If you wish to lead hikes in areas other than those listed above that do not have control of deer ticks, it is recommend that you 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. To learn more about ticks and how to prevent Lyme disease when you are out in field, check out our  <http://www.sierraclub.org/maryland/deer-ticks-and-lyme-disease> tick information page about tick prevention written by our previous stewardship intern Nick Yoder last summer. 

Contact  <mailto:stewardship.outings at mdsierra.org> stewardship.outings at mdsierra.org or  <mailto:outings.intern at mdsierra.org> outings.intern at mdsierra.org if you have more questions.

From: Ellis, Michael [mailto:Michael.Ellis at pgparks.com] 
Sent: Thursday, June 01, 2017 11:42 PM
To: Marc Imlay <ialm at erols.com <mailto:ialm at erols.com> >; stewardship.field at mdsierra.org <mailto:stewardship.field at mdsierra.org> 
Subject: Re: Deer and mouse control

The Sierra Club should get the latest deer density survey data from the National Park Service and urge that NPS either manage deer at Greenbelt Park, or manage tick populations. A copy of my 2009 or 2010 article from the Chesapeake about the problem could be helpful, but I don't have a copy right now.

I was told the Greenbelt deer are approaching 200 deer per square mile, higher than any public park in the state as far as I know. That is where my concern for deer and ticks is highest.

Indeed the 4-poster design is a well known standard and can be very effective. There are several methods of managing ticks on mice and other rodents, with various levels of effectiveness.

Michael Ellis
Non-Native Invasive Plant Management Coordinator
Park Ranger Office, Natural and Historical Resources Division
The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission
Department of Parks and Recreation

Cell: (240) 429-5042

From: Kent Hibben [mailto:kentlhibben at gmail.com] 
Sent: Sunday, June 18, 2017 7:25 AM
To: Marc Imlay <ialm at erols.com <mailto:ialm at erols.com> >
Subject: Re: wildlife hero in the fight against ticks,

Hello Marc

I quite appreciate your posts.  The NWF article discusses possums using ready-made burrows.  Are there (s.a. with bat houses) particular actions humans can do to build or enable such burrows to be available?

Cheers,

Kent

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*          <http://blog.nwf.org/topics/students-and-nature/> STUDENTS AND NATURE

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 <http://blog.nwf.org/topics/garden-habitats/> GARDEN HABITATS  <http://blog.nwf.org/topics/wildlife-facts/> WILDLIFE FACTS

OPOSSUMS: UNSUNG HEROES IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TICKS AND LYME DISEASE

 <http://blog.nwf.org/authors/jane-kirchner/> JANE KIRCHNER   |    <http://blog.nwf.org/2017/06/> JUNE 13, 2017

Young opossums sometimes ride on their mother’s back as she hunts for food. Photo credit: MonicaR./flickr

With the huge rise in deer tick populations and the spread of Lyme disease, many friends of wildlife are welcoming opossums into their yards. Why? Scientists have learned that  <http://www.caryinstitute.org/discover-ecology/podcasts/why-you-should-brake-possums> opossums act like little <http://www.caryinstitute.org/discover-ecology/podcasts/why-you-should-brake-possums>  vacuum cleaners when it comes to ticks – with a single opossum hoovering up and killing as many as 4,000 ticks per week.

Opossums are extraordinarily good groomers it turns out – we never would have thought that ahead of time – but they kill the vast majority – more than 95% percent of the ticks that try to feed on them. So these opossums are walking around the forest floor, hoovering up ticks right and left, killing over 90% of these things, and so they are really protecting our health. – Rick Ostfeld, Senior Scientist, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies

MORE POSSUM BENEFITS

Opossums, sometimes referred to just as possums, are a benefit to ecosystems and a healthy environment beyond eradicating ticks.  They will catch and eat cockroaches, rats and mice – in addition to consuming dead animals of all types (also known as carrion).  <http://blog.nwf.org/2014/07/opossums-and-gardening-a-few-things-to-know/> Gardeners appreciate opossums’ appetite for snails, slugs and for cleaning up over-ripe fruit and berries. And, since they are immune to the venom of poisonous serpents, opossums also eat rattlesnakes.

EVENING SHIFT

Adult opossums are solitary and nocturnal—active at night—and generally live in burrows and cavities that they find ready-made rather than create themselves. They seek shelter underground, in trees or anywhere in between.

Young opossum out at night. Photo credit: Amy/flickr

Young opossum “freezing” when frightened. Photo credit: Amy/flickr

When frightened or harmed, opossums suddenly freeze and lie still as death. They have no control over this response, which could be said to paralyze them with fear or have evolved because almost any predator can outrun them. If left unharmed, a catatonic opossum will recover in roughly one to four hours.

This amazing species is North America’s only marsupial (pouched mammal).  When the so-called Great American Interchange occurred with the closing of Central America around 3 million years ago, the opossum was pretty much the only marsupial from South America that successfully moved to and survived in the north.

Here at the National Wildlife Federation we celebrate and appreciate the opossum!

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