Welcome to Forest Defense!
We're happy to have ya.
So what exactly is going on with our forests?
If you’ve come across this article that came out in December (and was picked up nationally), you’re already familiar with the problem we’re trying to address —
Too. Many. Deer.
Maybe you’ve wandered through the forests and noticed the lack of native wildflowers or young saplings - which deer tend to favor. Maybe you’ve been desperately trying to protect your garden or crops from overgrazing. Maybe you’ve had a run-in while driving to work and suffered costly repairs. In New York, deer have caused plenty of issues:
Over 70,000 deer-vehicle collisions every year
In 2002, crop damages from deer were about $59 million
This is an issue that affects many communities (including the well-being of deer herds), but also one that requires many perspectives to address.
What is our role?
That’s what our team at Forest Defense is trying to do - bring people together. We are an ecological hunting alliance dedicated to protecting our forests through sustainable deer management and getting venison into the hands of people who need it.
Co-founders Masha and Zoe are leading this labor-of-love charge alongside intern Tessa (who you are currently interacting with 😄). Masha has a background in business and community organizing, while Zoe brings a wealth of knowledge in native plants and backyard rewilding.
Forest Defense aims to be the connective tissue - or fascia, if you will - between several groups:
Hunters: traditional, new, or aspiring
Hunters can help manage deer sustainably and we hope to expand access to the tools, knowledge, and incentives necessary to do so.
Landowners: farmers and non-farmers alike
Landowners are important stewards and can give hunters access to their land.
Community members: butchers, educators, outdoorsy folk, policy advocates, artists, and anyone else who is interested!
Community members can help distribute local venison to families, expand education around hunting practices and deer management, and advocate for policy changes.
When we talk to people interested in helping out, one uniting theme emerges: food access. As one prominent community kitchen leader put it,
Meat prices are going up and are the biggest part of our food budget. If we had more [venison] donations we could do significantly more.
In New York, 1 in 4 people experience food insecurity. By managing our deer populations more effectively, we can create both healthy forests and people. Forest Defense supports food security in two ways:
Venison donation
We train new hunters, connect existing hunters with landowners who need help managing deer, and promote sustainable hunting practices.
Butchering workshops
We organize butchering workshops to teach people how to process their own meat. Anyone can learn to feed themselves and their community!
What have we accomplished so far?
We have made exciting progress so far with over 200 sign-ups on our website! Last week, we had a great time tabling at the film screening of The Nature of Nature: Biodiversity in the Hudson Valley - which we highly recommend watching. We shared some good conversation about deer overabundance as well as some tasty venison - hunted by us and processed by our local Down the Road Butchery in Dutchess County, NY.
Additionally, Bard College has agreed to be the fiscal sponsor for Forest Defense, meaning we can receive tax-deductible donations and apply for grants! This is especially exciting because Bard manages a large chunk of land alongside the Hudson River and is interested in helping manage deer.
How can you help?
As we continue to expand, we can use all the help we can get. Here are some things we need help with:
Website, social media, and graphic design skills
We need help building out our website and Instagram pages, as well as creating a great logo.
Butchering workshops
If you are a butcher, you can help educate, host, and donate materials (vacuum sealers, vacuum seal bags, label makers, carving knives).
General help
Help us design and plan our ecological hunter training program.
If you have venison to share, consider donating it to a local food pantry (listed on our website)
We want to help spread the word about educational workshops, informational sessions, and hunting events in your local areas, so please use the link below if you have something to share.
Stay in touch for some announcements about our exciting new partnerships (coming soon!), and if you haven’t yet signed up on our website, join us here!
Thanks for tuning in and helping protect our forests!
Tessa and the Forest Defense Team
Hey this looks awesome! Happy to help spread the word when you’re ready.
This is amazing. I'd love to help on the social media front. I'm a videographer/photographer with a background in digital marketing. Would love to connect both on the hunting and media front.