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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 18, 2015
Contact: Russ Mason, 517-243-8928 or Ed Golder, 517-284-5815
DNR honors Meridian Township for its CWD response, cooperation
 The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has recognized Meridian Township in Ingham County with a Partners in Conservation Awards for its ongoing cooperation with deer management and assistance with chronic wasting disease. The award was presented at last week’s meeting of the Natural Resources Commission in Lansing.
Chronic wasting disease is a fatal neurological disease that affects white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk and moose.
In May, the DNR confirmed the state’s first case of CWD in a free-ranging, white-tailed deer in Meridian Township. That was followed by two additional confirmations (also in free-ranging, white-tailed deer: one in July and one in August), also in Meridian Township. These three deer were discovered within a mile of one another and, in fact, were determined to be related as part of an extended family.
“Meridian Township police brought us our first deer that tested positive for chronic wasting disease, and we wouldn’t have made the kind of progress monitoring for CWD without their help and cooperation,” said Russ Mason, chief of the DNR’s Wildlife Division. “We look forward to continuing to work with Meridian Township in the future.”
Mason praised Meridian Township as an extraordinary partner for its efforts before the CWD outbreak, too, because of the township’s highly effective urban deer management program. Launched in 2011, that program invites bow hunters to take part in a managed harvest of deer on publicly owned properties in order to help control the area’s deer population.
“Theirs is a model for this sort of population-control program,” said Mason, who nominated the township for the award. “Other areas with urban deer challenges should see how Median Township does it.”
Township manager Frank Walsh, along with members of the Meridian Township Police Department and a township commissioner, accepted the Partners in Conservation Award. Walsh said the award was “indicative of the great relationship that exists between Meridian Township and the Department of Natural Resources.”
“We have a difficult issue to work on with CWD,” Walsh said. “But this partnership will allow us move forward to protect Michigan’s white-tailed deer herd.”
Learn more about chronic wasting disease on the DNR website www.michigan.gov/cwd.
Partners in Conservation Awards are given to individuals or organizations for exemplary contributions to conservation in Michigan. Award nominations are made by DNR staff.
/Note to editors: An accompanying photo is available below for download. Caption information follows.
Officials with Meridian Township were on hand at a recent Michigan Natural Resources Commission meeting in Lansing, to receive a Partners in Conservation Award from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The township was honored for its assistance with chronic wasting disease. Shown here (L to R) are DNR Wildlife Division Chief Russ Mason; Milton Scales, Meridian Township trustee; Officer Dave Hall; Meridian Township manager Frank Walsh; Officer Ken Plaga, and DNR Director Keith Creagh./
The Michigan Department of Natural Resources is committed to the conservation, protection, management, use and enjoyment of the state’s natural and cultural resources for current and future generations. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/dnr.
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