Full Notification

EAST LANSING, Mich. — East Lansing community members are advised that there will be intermittent park closures in the City of East Lansing this winter for the purposes of conducting wildlife damage management.

Beginning January 11, 2021 through March 1, 2021, all City parks will be subject to closure, when posted, between the hours of 6 p.m. and 7 a.m. on intermittent weekdays. When closed, park entrances (including parking lots and pedestrian paths) will be barricaded and signs will be posted to notify the public of the park closures. It will be unlawful for any person, except those authorized by the city manager for wildlife damage management, to enter or remain in the parks when they are closed.

During the park closures, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) biologists highly trained in the use of firearms will be conducting professional deer removal under a cooperative service agreement with the City of East Lansing and a permit from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR).

This professional, safe and highly managed removal of a portion of the deer population is being conducted in designated park areas to address deer overpopulation in the East Lansing community, which has resulted in vehicle/deer accidents, public health concerns, damage to landscaping and a disruption to the ecological balance of natural areas. Community members can visit https://www.cityofeastlansing.com/231/Deer-Management for information about the City of East Lansing’s deer management efforts to date.

In addition to the park closures/signs, notification letters are being sent out to residents in the immediate area of the parks where this work will be completed.

The deer that are removed from East Lansing’s parks will be processed and the venison will be donated to the Greater Lansing Food Bank. Michigan Sportsman Against Hunger is generously providing the funding for the processing of the venison.