We are currently reaching the point of the year where deer tick season is the worst. This period of time usually extends until mid-July and can put quite the damper on outdoor activities. To avoid the risk of contracting Lyme disease we recommend that you lead hikes in areas with good deer control. These areas currently include:
- The 1,000 acre MPEA park, Meadowbrook Park, Schooley Mill Park, and West Regional Park in Howard County
- Rock Creek National Park in Washington D.C. adjacent to Montgomery County
- Catoctin Mountain National Park in Frederick County
- Magruder Park Woods (Hyattsville) and Cheverly-Euclid Neighborhood Park (Cheverly) in Prince George's County
All of these areas have a natural deer density of 20/square mile or less. What makes this number significant is that this is the level that deer existed at before the removal of predators such as wolves and cougars. Many studies have shown that when deer are held at this level there is a dramatic reduction in the cases of Lyme disease.
If you wish to lead hikes in areas other than those listed above that do not have control of deer ticks, it is recommend that you have most hikes from mid-July through mid-April when the seasonal risk of Lyme disease is less. We would also greatly appreciate it if you could work with us and your local parks as we continue to spread awareness on the severe issue of Lyme’s disease and its connection to overpopulation of deer.
Even though in these areas the deer densities are low, it is always good to be prepared in you get a tick on you. To learn more about ticks and how to prevent Lyme disease when you are out in field, check out our tick information page and blog post about tick prevention written by our previous stewardship intern Nick Yoder last summer.
Contact stewardship.outings@mdsierra.org or outings.intern@mdsierra.org if you have more questions.
