Cornell is conducting a comprehensive survey of its neighbors to learn more about their experiences and concerns regarding the white-tailed deer population in and around campus.

"Cornell Plantations and agricultural research facilities are sustaining constant, significant plant damage from the local deer population, and we have concerns about related issues such as highway safety," said Stephen Golding, Cornell's executive vice president for finance and administration. "We want to learn about how our neighbors view their interactions with our shared deer population."

Surveys are being mailed to all homeowners in East Hill communities neighboring Cornell, including Cornell Heights, Cayuga Heights, Northeast, Forest Home, Varna, Ellis Hollow, Snyder Hill/Eastern Heights and Belle Sherman/Collegetown. More than 2,600 residents in these communities began receiving questionnaires in late October.

Researchers hope to learn more about area residents' experiences and attitudes toward deer and to gauge community interest in participating in deer management. Results of the survey will be available to the public and will provide Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County with ideas about community needs and aid in planning for coping with the deer problem. Final reports will be available online in early 2007 through the Human Dimensions Research Unit of Cornell's Department of Natural Resources at http://www.dnr.cornell.edu/hdru/.