When stopping for deer feels as common as stopping for red lights, you know Chester County has a big problem. Deer put our roads, our health, and our environment at risk.
Before 2003, Pennsylvania counted how many deer lived in each area. Then the Pennsylvania Game Commission changed its plan. Now it looks at forest health and how often deer and people come into conflict. It also checks deer health and population trends (Pennsylvania Game Commission, 2019). But this strategy does not work. The deer population keeps growing and causing harm in our community.
In 2022, Chester County had the most Lyme disease cases in Pennsylvania. We made up 8.6% of all cases in the state (Chester County, n.d.). If Lyme disease is not treated, it can hurt the brain and heart (Fox 29, 2022). Too many deer make the spread of Lyme disease worse…