Factors influencing browsing by fallow deer Dama dama in young broad-leaved plantations Original Research Article

The impact of fallow deer Dama dama on 74 young broadleaf plantations in a lowland area in eastern Suffolk was assessed. The effects of plantation size, shape, species composition, the extent of cover for deer and the extent of alternative browse on the degree of deer damage were investigated. Plantations located in open-arable habitats were least damaged by deer. Small plantations tended to experience higher damage levels than larger ones. Plantations that contained much cover and were adjacent to woodland were particularly prone to damage as were those that were surrounded by cover and were within woodland. The composition of the tree species planted also had a significant effect on the probability of damage. The implications for conservation of planting new broad-leaved woodlands in areas with populations of fallow deer are discussed.