Request for provincial action to invasive fallow deer in Southern Gulf Islands

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200 – 1627 Fort Street, Victoria BC  V8R 1H8 
Telephone  (250) 405-5151    Fax  (250) 405-5155 
Toll Free via Enquiry BC in Vancouver 660-2421.  Elsewhere in BC 1.800.663.7867 
Email  information@islandstrust.bc.ca 
Web  www.islandstrust.bc.ca 
 
 
Bowen  Denman  Hornby  Gabriola  Galiano  Gambier  Lasqueti  Mayne  North Pender  Salt Spring  Saturna  South Pender  Thetis 
 
June 15, 2022                            File No.: 5390-20-Invasive Species/Fallow Deer 
 
Via Email: AGR.Minister@gov.bc.ca  
         
Honourable Lana Popham 
Minister of Agriculture and Food 
PO Box 9043 Stn Prov Govt 
Victoria, BC V8W 9E2     
 
Re: Request for provincial action to invasive fallow deer in Southern Gulf Islands 
 
Dear Minister Popham: 
 
I am writing on behalf of the Islands Trust Council to draw your attention to the serious issue of fallow 
deer on Mayne Island.  
The issue of fallow deer in the Islands Trust Area, in particular on Mayne Island, was brought to Islands 
Trust Council’s March 8-10, 2022, agenda (pp 759-791) via correspondence from the Mayne Island 
Conservancy Society (MICS) sent to the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations.  
These invasive, introduced deer were brought to the island via a fallow deer farm that operated in the 
1980s and 1990s. In the early 1990s fallow deer escaped from the farm and the population has 
increased since that time.  
Fallow deer are having a significant impact on Mayne Island, including: 
 Reduction of forest understorey and suppression of forest regeneration; 
 Reduction of songbird habitat, resulting in reduced songbird populations; 
 Damage to local farm crops and resulting in increased farming costs due to the damage and the 
need for infrastructure to prevent farm damage; 
 Impacts to personal property through damage to gardens and the natural habitat; and, 
 Increased safety hazards due to deer/vehicle collisions.  
The fallow deer farm ceased operation in 2006. Since that time the fallow deer population has grown – 
and current population estimates range between 1000 and 3000 – and is now spreading to other 
islands. 
The Islands Trust mandate is to preserve and protect the Islands Trust Area for the benefit of residents 
and the Province generally in cooperation with other agencies - Provincial leadership is needed and 
overdue to address the fallow deer problem on Mayne Island to help us carry out our Provincial 
mandate.  
This long standing issue began with a farm that was under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Agriculture. 
Various levels of government and community organizations have attempted to find solutions; however, 
the deer play the long game as they continue to strip the islands of ecosystem integrity and cause 
problems for other agricultural programs on the island.   
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June 15, 2022 
The Honourable Lana Popham 
 
Bowen  Denman  Hornby  Gabriola  Galiano  Gambier  Lasqueti  Mayne  North Pender  Salt Spring  Saturna  South Pender  Thetis 

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