Virginia Tech College of Natural Resources’ fisheries and wildlife science associate professor Jim Parkhurst recently completed a review of the proposed 2006 to 2015 Virginia Deer Management Plan prepared by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF).

A draft of the plan has been made available to the public for comment. Comments need to be made this week.

Virginia first adopted a deer management plan in 1999 in an effort to balance ecological considerations with public concerns such as highway safety and the impact of deer on farm crops. The plan specifies general directions for effective management of deer populations, habitat, and deer-related recreational activities like hunting.

Parkhurst was originally contacted by Nelson Lafon of the VDGIF in late 2005. Lafon, who earned both his bachelors and masters degrees from Virginia Tech, currently is the assistant deer project leader for the VDGIF.

The College of Natural Resources at Virginia Tech consistently ranks among the top five programs of its kind in the nation. Faculty members stress both the technical and human elements of natural resources and instill in students a sense of stewardship and land-use ethics. Areas of studies include environmental resource management, fisheries and wildlife sciences, forestry, geospatial and environmental analysis, natural resource recreation, urban forestry, wood science and forest products, geography, and international development.

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