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A message from Solebury Township Administration

Deer Survey Using Aerial Drones to be Conducted Feb. 15-28

Aerial photography drones will be hovering in the early night sky over Solebury during the last two weeks of February, to help the Township get an accurate count of deer herds and their locations. The drones, carrying infrared cameras, will be operated by FAA-certified staff scientists from the Raritan Valley Community College Center for Environmental Studies.

Beginning Feb. 15 and running through the end of the month, the drone team will be operating from positions on Township-owned land, at the end of cul-de-sacs, and along roads with wide shoulders. The flights will take place at night, many between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. The team will be wearing reflective jackets and will mark out their takeoff and landing point with safety cones.

An accurate deer population count is an important part of Solebury's Deer Management Program. The data from the deer survey are used to determine whether the Township is meeting its goals, if additional control measures are necessary, and to identify any "hot spots" where deer density is high.

Infrared drone surveys provide additional clarity to existing survey data, giving the Township a more robust picture of the deer population. The Raritan Valley Community College program has been conducting wildlife surveys for municipalities in central New Jersey for over 13 years and operates as a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

You can view their July 21, 2020 presentation to the Board of Supervisors on the Township website, which starts at the 16 minute mark on the video.


https://www.soleburytwp.org/board-supervisors/minutes/board-supervisors-minutes-116