Broc Bowers

Recr 394
12-3-2014

Piney Run Park

Interpretive Program Outline

Program Title- Whitetail Deer Nature Walk

Location- Piney Run Park Eldersburg Maryland (Frostburg Arboretum)
Program Theme- Deer overpopulation can have a huge impact on their habitat, themselves, and
on the humans around them and need to be managed.
Program Goal- The guests of the park will gain an understanding for the need of deer
population management.
Objectives

Discuss forest diversity and its importance to being a healthy forest

To have guests understand the importance of hunting and population management
Discuss all the damages and effects of over population

Nature Walk Stops

1. Forest Trail- Healthy forest and population.
2. Grass Trail- Unhealthy forest and over population.
3. Road- Damages of overpopulation on deer and humans.
Introduction- Welcome everyone to Piney Run Park, my name is Broc Bowers and I am the
park naturalist. I will be guiding you on this nature hike today. A couple facts about the park are
that its Carroll Countys oldest developed park. It was opened in 1974 and has a 300 acre lake
and 550 acres of field, forest, and open space with 5 miles of hiking trails. There is an area
designated for recreational use and a bordering area where hunting is allowed. It will roughly be
a 20 minute hike so if you need to go to the restroom you should do that now. It is also very cold
today so if anyone feels the need to go back inside please just let me know.
Starting questionsHow many of you participate in hunting, whether its deer or other game?
Which one of you believe that hunting is necessary and which ones are against it?

Broc Bowers
Recr 394
12-3-2014
Stop 1- Forest diversity and health

Different tree and plant species

Importance of new growth
Good population management

Stop 2- Overpopulation and affects on forest

Damage of forest diversity and new growth

Erosion
Carrying Capacity of animals

Stop 3- Damages and effects of overpopulation on deer and humans

Starvation
Collisions
Spread of Diseases(Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease)

Conclusion- Hunting and population management of deer is crucial in our world today. As more
and more of their habitat is turned into developments the deer population will devastate forest
diversity and farmers crops as well as have to travel father for their food causing more collisions
and even fatalities.
Ending questionsHas my hike changed anyones views on hunting?
Does anyone have any suggestions that could bring the diversity back to the damaged forest in
the park?
Possible Evaluations1. A quick anonymous questionnaire asking how well I portrayed the information, how
much was learned, how influential my hike was, and what I could change or add to
improve.
2. Simply ask how everyone liked the hike and what they wouldve liked me to do
differently, change, or add.
References

Maryland DNRs website provided me with facts on population numbers and some native
vegetation.