Public Engagement

The National Park Service is in the early stages of developing a management plan for white-tailed deer in the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area. The purpose of managing deer in the Sandy Hook Unit would be to support protection and enhancement of natural resources, preservation of cultural resources, and visitor use and experiences consistent with the park's General Management Plan.

The NPS is concerned about deer impacts on:
• Natural regeneration of native vegetation and vegetation communities, leaving native biodiversity at risk and creating conditions that facilitate the establishment and spread of non-native invasive species;
• Rare and unique habitats (such as the globally imperiled maritime holly forests and the maritime red cedar woodland) and species of special concern, including federally listed species;
• Cultural landscape preservation and rehabilitation treatments; and
• Resource-based visitor uses and experiences that provide enjoyment for current and future generations of park visitors.

This is an opportunity for you to help inform white-tailed deer management planning efforts for the Sandy Hook Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area. There will be an additional opportunity to provide comments with the release of the White-tailed Deer Management Plan/Environmental Assessment in 2027.

More information about the park is available at https://www.nps.gov/gate.

Topic Questions Instructions:

Your input is vital to the development of the plan. The NPS is seeking public input regarding how white-tailed deer impact public use opportunities and experiences in the Sandy Hook Unit. Comments received will help inform development of the plan. The following questions may assist you in thinking about the management of deer at the Sandy Hook Unit and providing insightful comments. Public comments are being accepted through the NPS Planning, Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) website, via email (Gateway_feedback@nps.gov), via regular mail, and in person at the open house on March 23, 2026. All comments must be received or postmarked by 11:59 p.m. on May 23, 2026. Commenters should be aware that their entire comment, including personal identifying information, may be made publicly available at any time. While commentors may ask that their personal identifying information be withheld from public view, NPS cannot guarantee this.

Topic Questions:

1. What changes have you noticed in the deer population and/or vegetation at Sandy Hook over the years?

2. Have you observed any impacts from deer on the park's cultural landscapes?

3. Have you observed deer impacting visitor use and experience at Sandy Hook?

4. Are there other issues related to deer management at Sandy Hook that you think the park could consider?

Document Content:

Fact Sheet.pdf   (802.1 KB, PDF file) Welcome Board.pdf   (1.1 MB, PDF file) Purpose and Need Board.pdf   (821.6 KB, PDF file) Natural Resource Board.pdf   (10.2 MB, PDF file) Cultural Resource Board.pdf   (3.6 MB, PDF file) Visitor Use and Experience Board.pdf   (3.8 MB, PDF file) Other Concerns and Planning Process Board.pdf   (1.6 MB, PDF file) Disclaimer: Links within the above document(s) were valid as of the date published. Note: Some of the files may be in PDF format and can be viewed using the Adobe Acrobat Reader software. You may download a free copy of from Adobe Systems.