Summary The draft strategy is an important step toward providing a clear and coordinated approach to deer management in Victoria. It recognises the need to reduce the impact of deer on environmental, agricultural, social, economic and cultural assets. It also recognises that deer are a valuable hunting resource. into the control of management zones to guide deer management invasive animals across the State is proposed to provide a Trial it is not possible to eradicate on Crown land. coordinated, strategic and adaptive approach to deer from the Victorian deer management. The location of the deer environment, there is an opportunity management zones will be informed by to provide a coordinated approach available knowledge on assets at risk from deer to managing their positive and The strategy proposes a new and developed in consultation with Traditional negative impacts. way of thinking to guide how deer Owners and local communities. are managed in our landscape. It is The strategy has been jointly structured around four key goals: developed by DEDJTR and DELWP Enhancing deer management with the assistance of an Advisory Successful implementation of the through partnerships and Group, comprised of final strategy will result in a more community collaboration representatives from DEDJTR, coordinated approach to deer DELWP, Parks Victoria and the Reducing the impact of management in partnership with the Game Management deer on key environmental, community, a reduction in the Authority (GMA). agricultural, cultural and negative impacts of deer, better social assets utilisation of the economic benefits The draft strategy is a key action of deer and the knowledge and Increasing awareness, under the Sustainable Hunting capacity to inform effective deer understanding and capacity to Action Plan (SHAP) and supports management going forward. manage deer Protecting Victoria’s Environment Biodiversity 2037. It is also a key – The public consultation process is Reducing illegal deer hunting. action under the Biodiversity 2037 an opportunity for the community to Implementation Framework and is inform and shape the final strategy A series of key actions and consistent with the Victorian and ensure it meets their needs and deliverables are proposed to Government’s response to the 2017 expectations regarding achieve each goal. Environment, Natural Resources deer management. and Regional Development The introduction of deer Committee of Parliament’s Inquiry
Summary The draft strategy is an important step toward providing a clear and coordinated approach to deer management in Victoria. It recognises the need to reduce the impact of deer on environmental, agricultural, social, economic and cultural assets. It also recognises that deer are a valuable hunting resource. it is not possible to eradicate deer from the Victorian environment, there is an opportunity to provide a coordinated approach to managing their positive and negative impacts. The strategy has been jointly developed by DEDJTR and DELWP with the assistance of an Advisory Group, comprised of representatives from DEDJTR, DELWP, Parks Victoria and the Game Management Authority (GMA). The draft strategy is a key action under the Sustainable Hunting Action Plan (SHAP) and supports Protecting Victoria’s Environment – Biodiversity 2037. It is also a key action under the Biodiversity 2037 Implementation Framework and is consistent with the Victorian Government’s response to the 2017 Environment, Natural Resources and Regional Development Committee of Parliament’s Inquiry into the control of invasive animals on Crown land. The strategy proposes a new way of thinking to guide how deer are managed in our landscape. It is structured around four key goals: Enhancing deer management through partnerships and community collaboration Reducing the impact of deer on key environmental, agricultural, cultural and social assets Increasing awareness, understanding and capacity to manage deer Reducing illegal deer hunting. A series of key actions and deliverables are proposed to achieve each goal. The introduction of deer management zones to guide deer management across the State is proposed to provide a coordinated, strategic and adaptive approach to deer management. The location of the deer management zones will be informed by available knowledge on assets at risk from deer and developed in consultation with Traditional Owners and local communities. Successful implementation of the final strategy will result in a more coordinated approach to deer management in partnership with the community, a reduction in the negative impacts of deer, better utilisation of the economic benefits of deer and the knowledge and capacity to inform effective deer management going forward. The public consultation process is an opportunity for the community to inform and shape the final strategy and ensure it meets their needs and expectations regarding deer management. Trial