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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 21, 2016)
30 Wednesday, September 21, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Draw the line against deer By Kym pokorny Oregon State University Extension Service CORVALLIS — A gar- den is like a box of bonbons to deer, and homeowners fill it with the candy they love most. “Deer are looking for the highest quality food and our yards often offer the best smorgasbord,” said Dana Sanchez, a wildlife specialist for Oregon State University Extension Service. “When taking loving care of our plants — watering well and and fertilizing — we’re pro- ducing a really superior plant compared to what’s in the natural environment. They are more tender and have more nutrition and water content.” In the wild, deer and native plants evolved together, so plants developed defenses like waxy leaves or prickles that make them more adapted to surviving grazing. Even when they do get nibbled, natives are more likely to sur- vive than the succulent plants in our gardens. “We’re often select- ing plants from other parts of the world that didn’t get to learn through evolution about the herbivores in our ecosystem,” Sanchez said. “They’re ‘naïve.’ Even roses that have prickles don’t have them around the beautiful blossoms, which the deer just snap off. They easily take what they want.” Choosing native plants – or other plants less attrac- tive to their palate – helps deter deer. Get ideas from an Extension publication of deer-resistant plants. The list was developed for Central Oregon. Out West Realty — Serving all of Central Oregon — Deer explore our yards for more than just plants. They’re delighted with supplemental food provided deliberately by humans who believe they’re being kind; a practice Sanchez strongly discourages. Feeding deer gives them more motiva- tion to wander into suburban, sometimes even urban, yards. The feeling of safety once they arrive makes them want to stay. The large carnivores that prey on them aren’t around and humans aren’t hunting them. Deer even become desensitized to dogs unless there’s a close con- frontation, which usually ends poorly for the dog, Sanchez said. “Places where humans live are a great place for deer to hang out, which makes it dif- ficult to keep them away,” she added. But it’s an effort impor- tant to make. As more deer congregate, there’s potential for parasites and disease to spread among themselves and possibly to humans. For instance, in some Midwest and East Coast states deer carrying the ticks that pass on Lyme disease pose a sig- nificant health issue. Plus, the large carnivores they’re trying to escape may follow them into neighborhoods, setting up a dangerous situation. “We don’t want large plant eaters or the meat eat- ers that prey on them hang- ing around,” Sanchez said. “Keeping wildlife in the wild is best for humans and the animals.” But thwarting the high- jumping animals takes quite an effort. Eventually, many homeowners plagued by deer resort to fences, whether an enclosure around a prized rosebush or an 8- to 10-foot barrier around the entire yard. However, deer fencing, made of a robust mesh mate- rial, is an expensive initial investment. Another option is a single strand of electrical wire extended from a regular fence. Some people use motion- controlled scarecrow sprin- klers, which blast water when activated. “That’s more of a shock- and-awe deterrent,” Sanchez said. “It protects a limited area, though. Deer are notori- ous for figuring out the spray pattern and getting around it. They’re helpful for a corner of the yard or a bed up against the house.” Deer repellents can be effective but need to be applied frequently during rainy periods or when plants have been watered with an overhead sprinkler. Even summer sunshine or extreme heat can degrade the products. It’s also a good idea to vary the types of repellents you use because deer become sen- sitized to the same one used repeatedly. And remember, don’t spray them on anything you might eat: The odor and taste is just as unpleasant for us as it is for the deer. No matter what you do, don’t be surprised if you dis- cover munched plants in the garden. “Deer are determined and persistent when it comes to filling their tummies,” Sanchez said. ENROLLMENT: Lower numbers mean less state funding Continued from page 1 but it’s hard to know right now what the effect will be.” He said it’s too soon to predict whether staff reduc- tions will have to be made. The Sisters district’s enroll- ment level will continue to fluctuate, even throughout the school year, he added. Scholl noted during the school board meeting that 11 students were coming to classes from their fami- lies’ campsites in the woods. That’s because of a lack of local housing, he said. The children are still camping, Scholl said last week. It wasn’t revealed how many families are involved or what grades the students are attending. “I don’t know the 11,” Scholl said, “but those are our homeless numbers. It is a housing issue. If we had affordable housing we wouldn’t be seeing what we are seeing. In talking to local realtors, there’s just a short- age of inventory.” Scholl believes some fami- lies who move and take chil- dren to another school district do so because of housing problems here. He noted the Sisters City Council recently approved $300,000 for affordable housing in Sisters. “I am optimistic,” Scholl said. “The City has put money forward, and it’s just some- thing that will take time.” The superintendent said he and his wife ran into the housing problem themselves when trying to move here a year ago for Scholl’s first year with the district. He called it a “competitive” market with six other potential buyers vying for the house he eventually purchased. potentially (the revenue loss) could be a couple hundred thousand dollars or more. — Curt Scholl On another topic, Scholl said he expects the vol- unteer members of the Bond Facilities Oversight Committee to be announced during the October 5 school board meeting. Five Sisters residents will be chosen to monitor how money from the Sisters School Bond is spent, with terms possibly lasting up to three years, Scholl said. 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