Zach Cavanaugh is a master’s student in the School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) at the University of Michigan, where he specializes in Ecosystem Science and Management. In his graduate studies, Zach is a part of a Conservation and Restoration themed capstone project, working to create a sustainable urban deer management program in southeast Michigan. Additionally, Zach has assisted on several wildlife research projects including one studying changing migration patterns and timing in North American songbirds and one investigating Bergmann’s rule across a variety of animal taxa. After graduation, Zach plans on pursuing a PhD degree in ecology to continue researching the impacts of climate change and human development on wildlife populations.

TSN Conference 2026

January 22nd, 2026 (Thursday) // 1:45 pm – 2:10 pm // Room 105 // The Deer Dilemma: Methods of Managing Urban Deer in Southeast Michigan // Managing the impacts of overabundant urban deer populations has become a priority for many municipal governments and land management organizations in Southeast Michigan. This project served to advance current and future urban deer management by producing a standardized guide for new programs and providing technical support for the implementation of the first regional deer management program in Farmington Hills, Farmington, and Southfield. Three pillars of urban deer management were used as a framework for the project: ecological, social, and program development. Project elements included conducting interviews with city employees and land managers, providing recommendations for ecological monitoring programs, and developing a variety of materials to support deer management programs in Southeast Michigan. Moving forward, we offer recommendations for municipalities interested in implementing urban deer management programs.