Title
Resolution to Approve a Contract with NatureWrite, LLC for Monitoring and Assessment of Deer Impacts in Ann Arbor Natural Areas ($33,000.00/yr, $99,000.00 total)
Memorandum
Approval is requested to contract with NatureWrite, LLC for continuation of monitoring and assessment of Deer Impacts in Ann Arbor Natural Areas for Deer Management Program Yrs 2-4.
Budget/Fiscal Impact: This expenditure is planned and budgeted in the approved FY2018 Community Services Building Administration budget. Funding for FY19 and FY20 will be budgeted as part of the on-going Deer Management Program.
The implementation of the Deer Management Program included monitoring the impact that deer were having to the vegetation in the City park natural areas. Prior to the initial cull, staff contracted with NatureWrite,,LLC (Dr. Jacqueline Couteau) in 2015 to conduct a study of browse damage in 10 wooded City parks. Based on what was learned from the first year of research, the City Administration recommended hiring Dr. Courteau to conduct an expanded study that included additional park natural areas.
The proposed contract work plan would continue monitoring and assessment of deer impacts in the City natural areas. Monitoring will continue the red oak experimental seedling approach used in the pilot study for 2015-2016, and will also look at deer impacts on experimental plantings of wildflower species as well as existing trillium populations using the following Study Metrics:
* % of red oak seedlings browsed each year
* % of plants of each of 4 experimental wildflower species browsed, flowering, fruiting each year
* % change in trillium abundance and flowering over time
Under the terms of the City's contract with NatureWrite, LLC, Dr. Courteau will present an annual report to City Council on her monitoring findings for that monitoring period during the contract term.
Approval of a contract for services with NatureWrite, LLC is recommended.
Staff
Prepared by: David Borneman...
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