For 30 years now, Helensburgh & District Landcare Group has been removing weeds and planting trees and shrubs at Helensburgh Creek. Those trees that were planted between 25 and 30 years ago are now, mostly, mature trees. We occasionally had deer damage back then but it was not a significant problem.

Move forward 20 years and deer have become one of our major problems at Helensburgh Creek. So many of the trees we have planted have been damaged or killed by deer. The damage is mostly caused by ringbarking of smaller trees during the ‘rutting’ season; the deer rub their antlers against the trunks to remove the velvet accumulated during summer.

We place cages around our new plantings but eventually the trees outgrow their cages. This is when the damage occurs. We have been told that once there are side branches on the tree they will be protected from the deer. We haven’t found this to be the case.

The tree pictured above, a Moreton Bay Fig, was planted about five years ago by Bushcare volunteers. It was damaged as soon as we removed the original cage. We put a bigger cage around it but it grew very well and we thought it would be safe. Unfortunately, the damage this year was caused on two different visits. The low side branches were broken and the tree trunk rubbed on the road side on one occasion. The second time it happened on the other side of the tree.

It is very disappointing for our Bushcare volunteers to see this happen. Currently there are at least 10 deer-damaged trees on our site. One is another fig that was planted over 10 years ago, but every time it grows to a size we think it will be safe, it is damaged again. While I am sure the fig will reshoot and try again, some of our saplings that had grown taller than the cage they were protected by have been ringbarked and will not survive.

Residents can help by filling in a survey by NSW Local Land Services in partnership with Wollongong City Council.