Insights from the Ministry of the Environment
By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
Anaïs Gasse, Biologist and Head of Big Game Management for the provincial Ministry of the Environment, is leading efforts to control and manage deer populations in the Sherbrooke area. In a recent interview, Gasse discussed the challenges of maintaining ecological balance while minimizing human-deer conflicts. Her team is focused on preserving biodiversity and reducing the negative impacts of an overabundant deer population.
According to Gasse, an aerial survey conducted last winter revealed a deer density of 25.7 deer per square kilometre in Sherbrooke’s Beckett Woods region. The Sherbrooke area’s general figure is more than double the recommended population density of five deer per square kilometre, which is the target for achieving a healthy ecological balance.
The environmental impact of overpopulation is significant. “Too many deer will overgraze vegetation, especially in the zero to two-metre range,” Gasse said. This leads to a loss of biodiversity as deer strip vegetation essential to other species, such as nesting birds. Additionally, an excessive deer population increases the risk of car accidents and causes damage to crops and gardens. “When food in the bush is scarce, deer often venture into residential areas, eating plants like cedars and hostas,” she added.
