Editorial: Attend tonight’s deer forum

At the risk of overloading this week’s opinion section with discussion of the North Fork’s deer population, and the forum being held tonight at the Southold Town Recreation Center, we opted to also reserve this space to mention the event.

We feel it’s that important.

The meeting will focus on the latest information available and the development of a multi-pronged approach to addressing the overabundance of deer in the town. Participants will include representatives of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Long Island Farm Bureau and Eastern Long Island Hospital.

In addition to affecting the local economy through their impact on agriculture, deer have also had a major impact on health through their role in spreading tick-borne illness.

The forum is scheduled for tonight, Thursday, Sept. 26, at 6 p.m. at the Southold Town Recreation Center on Peconic Lane. You should be there.